Arterial baroreceptor reflex function during elevation of intracranial pressure

The ability of the arterial baroreceptor reflex to buffer the blood pressure responses elicited by increasing the intracranial pressure (ICP) has been studied in chloralose anesthetized cats. Standardized elevations of ICP induced pressor responses of similar magnitude irrespective of whether the baroreceptor inhibitory activity was high or very low. When ICP was elevated baroreceptor activation induced a reflex reduction of flow resistance and blood pressure, but never to the same levels obtained when ICP was normal. Thus when ICP was elevated there was an upward displacement of the curve relating carotid sinus pressure to mean arterial blood pressure.