Total and regional cerebral blood flow during stimulation of carotid baroreceptors

The concept that reflex control of cerebral vessels is unimportant has been challenged by recent studies which suggest that carotid baroreceptors have an important role in regulation of cerebral blood flow (CBF). In this study we have tested the hypothesis that arterial baroreceptors contribute to regulation of total or regional CBF. CBF was measured in anesthetized dogs with 15 mu microspheres. Stimulation of carotid baroreceptors, by raising carotid sinus pressure, did not alter or redistribute cerebral flow. Responses to baroreceptor stimulation were intact, as manifested by vasodilation in skeletal muscle. CBF decreased during systemic hypocapnia and increased during hypercapnia, which indicates that failure of cerebral flow to change during baroreceptor stimulation was not due to unresponsiveness of cerebral vessels. During hypercapnia, baroreceptor stimulation also failed to alter CBF. In other studies CBF was measured during increases in systemic arterial pressure, before and after denervation of arterial baroreceptors. Increases in arterial pressure did not increase CBF either before or after denervation of baroreceptors. We conclude that baroreceptor stimulation does not alter total or regional CBF and that baroreceptors do not regulate cerebral flow during systemic hypertension.