Involvement of brain neurotransmitters in blood pressure control and transmission of sensory stimuli

The main aim of the project is the investigation of neurotransmitter function in the brain. By using the push-pull superfusion technique the release of the neurotransmitters serotonin, excitatory amino acids (glutamate, aspartate) inhibitory amino acids (GABA, taurine) and catecholamines (noradrenaline, dopamine) will be determined and their involvement in the transmission of sensory stimuli and in central cardiovascular control will be investigated. Release of neurotransmitters will be determined in brain nuclei involved in these two functions, such as hypothalamus, locus coeruleus and amygdala. As sensory stimuli, stress and pain will be used. Since stress may also lead to pain, experiments will be carried out on conditioned animals. To investigate involvement of neurotransmitters in central cardiovascular regulation, changes in blood pressure will be elicited experimentally and counteracting changes in the releases of neurotransmitters will be detemnined. Experiments in spontaneously hypertensive rats will give information conceming involvement of neurotransmitters in development and/or maintenance of genetic hypertension.