Nonadrenergic noncholinergic autonomic mediation of pressor response to feeding in lambs

We examined factors mediating a 70% increase in arterial blood pressure that occurs during feeding in newborn lambs. We report that the increase in blood pressure during feeding was significantly reduced (to approximately 50%) and delayed in onset by combined alpha- and beta-adrenergic blockade. Plasma angiotensin and vasopressin levels did not increase significantly during feeding, nor was the pressor response to feeding attenuated while using captopril to block the production of angiotensin II. Adrenalectomy or muscarinic cholinergic blockade with atropine was also unsuccessful in attenuating the pressor response to feeding. We demonstrated that the component of the pressor response to feeding that was insensitive to alpha, beta, and muscarinic blockade was mediated by the autonomic nervous system because it was completely eliminated by ganglionic blockade with hexamethonium. Thus nonadrenergic noncholinergic autonomic mechanisms mediate approximately half the pressor response to feeding in lambs.