Altered Baroreflex Responses by Dietary Sodium

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The along objectives of this research project are to understand the mechanisms through which dietary sodium modifies baroreflex sensitivity. Increasing sodium ingestion reverse facilitation of cardiac and neural baroreflex responses induced by acute, moderate sodium loading. The hypothesis to be tested is that: Increased sodium ingestion sensitizes central sympathoadrenal circuits, so acute increases in plasma sodium, acting at or through neurons and alpha-adrenoreceptors in the median preoptic nucleus, increases cardiac and neural sympathetic tone, overrides the sympathoinhibitor effects of vasopressin, and reduces baroreflex sensitivity. The specific aims addressed will determine the effects of increased sodium ingestion on; 1) the contribution of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems to cardiac baroreflex responses during acute sodium loading, 2) sympathoadrenal activation and neural baroreflex responses during acute sodium loading, 3) the sympathoinhibitory effects of vasopressin on baroreflex function, and the role of 4) neurons and 5) alpha-adrenergic receptors in the median preoptic nucleus in mediating baroreflex sensitivity during acute, moderate sodium loading, 3) the sympathoinhibitory effects of vasopressin on baroreflex function, and the role of 4) neurons, and 5) alpha-adrenergic receptors in the median preoptic nucleus in mediating baroreflex sensitivity during acute, moderate sodium loading. These studies will directly measure blood pressure, heart rate, renal sympathetic nerve activity, and lumbar nerve activity in conscious, unrestrained rats during baroreflex testing before and following acute, moderate sodium loading. In addition, plasma concentrations of vasopressin and norepinephrine will be measured before and following acute sodium loading. Data from animals on a normal sodium diet will be compared to rats provided isotonic saline as the sole drinking fluid to increase dietary sodium for three weeks. The role of neurons and alpha-adrenergic receptors in the median preoptic nucleus will be evaluated by comparing responses of control animals to responses from rats given neurotoxic lesions of this brain area, or treated with selective alpha-adrenergic antagonists prior to testing. Defining these mechanisms will add to our understanding of some cardiovascular pathologies. For example, diminished baroreflex buffering may directly contribute to, or at least by permissive in, the establishment of chronic, salt-induced hypertension in experimental animals and in susceptible humans. In addition, reduced cardiac baroreflex responses, characterized by increased sympathetic dominance, as an independent risk factor for sudden death and cardiac arrhythmias. Therefore, increased sodium ingestion may increase risk for arrhythmias by decreasing baroreflex sensitivity and increasing cardiac sympathetic function. The work will be performed in the Department of Physiology, University of Tennessee, Memphis, TN 38163.