Effects of intraventricular angiotensin II mediated by the sympathetic nervous system

Central effects of angiotensin II were studied in rats treated with adrenalectomy, chemical sympathectomy with intravenous 6-hydroxydopamine, or a combination of both. Unrestrained, unanesthetized rats were compared before and after one of the three treatments to determine water drinking and blood pressure responses to intracerebroventricular (ivt) injections of 50 and 500 ng angiotensin II (AII). Adrenalectomy alone did not alter either drinking or pressor response to AIIivt. Peripheral sympathectomy alone resulted in a prolonged latency for pressor response but did not significantly alter drinking response to AIIivt. Results obtained by combined treatment were not significantly different from results obtained by sympathectomy alone. There remained a pressor response to AIIivt after combined treatment. The adrenals do not appear to be involved in mediating pressor response to AIIivt. Furthermore, sympathetic neural activation alone causes the early pressor response to AIIivt. Finally, some other factor(s) in addition to sympathetic neural activation must contribute to the pressor response to AIIivt.