Abstract 446: Rostral Ventrolateral Lateral Medulla Mediates the Sympathetic and Cardiovascular Response to Increased Cerebrospinal Fluid Sodium Concentration
Compelling evidence indicates increased cererbrospinal fluid (CSF) sodium elevates sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) and arterial blood pressure (ABP) in salt-sensitive hypertension. RVLM neurons project to the spinal cord and regulate SNA and ABP under a number of physiological challenges and pathophysiological states. Therefore, we hypothesized that RVLM neurons mediate the sympathoexcitatory response to increased CSF sodium. Inactin-anesthetized, male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=5/group) were prepared for sympathetic nerve recordings and a lateral ventricle brain cannula. Infusion of 1M NaCl (5 μL/10 min) to increase CSF sodium concentrations by 5mM produced a significant (P’s<0.05, n=6) increase in lumbar SNA (Δ: 115±3%), adrenal SNA (Δ: 122±3%), and mean arterial blood pressure (Δ: 8±1 mmHg). The infusion did not affect splanchnic SNA (Δ: 102±4%) but decreased renal SNA (Δ: 91±2%). Inhibition of the RVLM with bilateral injection of the GABA agonist muscimol (2.5mM per 50 nL per side) significantly (P’s<0.05; n=5) attenuated the increased lumbar SNA (Δ:101±2%), adrenal SNA (Δ:105±2%), and mean arterial blood pressure (Δ: 1±1mmHg, P’s<0.05; n=6). Blockade of ionotropic glutamate receptors in the RVLM with bilateral injection of kynurenic acid (30mM per 50 nL per side) also significantly (P’s<0.05; n=5) attenuated the increase in lumbar SNA (Δ: 101±3%), adrenal SNA (Δ: 110±3%) and mean ABP (Δ: 1±2 mmHg) to lateral ventricle infusion of 1M NaCl (5uL/10 min). In a final set of experiments, in vivo single-unit recordings demonstrate that ventricular infusion of 1M NaCl (5uL per 10 min) increased discharge in 60% (6/10) of spinally-projecting, barosensitive RVLM neurons (2.1±0.4 to 5.8±0.2 Hz, P<0.05). Infusion of artificial CSF did not affect any variable. These findings suggest increased CSF sodium activates a glutamatergic pathway to RVLM neurons to elevate SNA and ABP.