Effects of bilateral carotid occlusion and auditory stimulation on renal blood flow and sympathetic nerve activity in the conscious dog

In conscious foxhounds with intact aortic baroreceptors the effects of common carotid occlusion (C. C. O.; 3 dogs) or excitement (elicited by a sudden loud noise due to firing a pistol; 7 dogs) on renal blood flow (R.B.F.) were studied. C.C.O. increased arterial blood pressure by 40–50 mm Hg and heart rate by 22 beats/min while R.B.F. remained unchanged. When kidney perfusion pressure was maintained during C.C.O. there was also no change in R.B.F. Excitement increased mean aortic blood pressure by 35 mm Hg and heart rate by 84 beats/min; R.B.F. was transiently reduced by 40% of control.In another 3 foxhounds successful recordings of renal sympathetic nerve activity (R.S.N.A.) were obtained in the conscious state for 2–7 postoperative days. The effects of C.C.O. or excitement — elicited by whistling or hand-clapping — on R.S.N.A. were tested. There was pulse-synchronous nerve activity in the resting conscious animal. C.C.O. induced a steady state increase of averaged R.S.N.A. by 62% of control. Excitement was associated with transient bursts of activation of averaged R.S.N.A. by 500% of control.It is concluded that total R.B.F. is not changed during the baroreceptor short-term adjustment of blood pressure although changes in sympathetic outflow to the kidney are observed under comparable conditions. In contrast, excitement causes a much higher degree of sympathetic activation; this is probably responsible for the intense, transient renal vasoconstriction.This study was supported by the German Research Foundation within the S.F.B. 90 Heidelberg