Cerebrovascular sympathetic denervation and blood-brain barrier function in conscious rats

Electrical stimulation of the sympathetic nerves to the cerebrovascular bed enables the resistance vessels to better withstand a high blood pressure in terms of blood-brain barrier integrity. Sympathetic denervation could hence be expected to lead to a decrease in cerebrovascular tone and increased vulnerability of the blood-brain barrier. In the present study acute hypertension was induced in conscious unrestrained rats by administration of angiotensin or bicuculline. The albumin leakage into the brain, as studied by Evans blue-albumin and 125I labelled human serum albumin, was not enhanced in acutely or chronically sympathectomized rats compared to controls.