GABA-MEDIATED INHIBITION OF MEDULLARY VASOMOTOR NEURONS BY AREA POSTREMA STIMULATION IN RATS

1. The cardiovascular responses, together with the effects on medullary sympathoexcitatory (vasomotor) neurones of the rostral ventrolateral medulla, of area postrema stimulation have been studied in vivo. 2. Electrical (10 Hz) or chemical stimulation using microinjections of L-glutamate of the area postrema produced a vasodepressor response and an inhibition of the medullary sympathoexcitatory neurones in the nucleus reticularis rostroventrolateralis (RVL), while similar stimulation in the adjacent nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) caused increases in arterial pressure. 3. Single-pulse stimulation of the area postrema revealed at least three influences on the activity of RVL vasomotor neurones, one being excitatory and two inhibitory. 4. The inhibitions evoked in the medullary vasomotor neurones on area postrema stimulation were blocked by ionophoretic application of bicuculline, a GABA(A) receptor antagonist, without altering the excitatory input to the same neurones. Bilateral microinjections of bicuculline into the RVL in regions where the vasomotor neurones had been identified totally eliminated the vasodepression due to area postrema stimulation. 5. These data support a role for the area postrema in cardiovascular control. It is concluded that the area postrema exerts its action on cardiovascular control in part via GABAergic inhibition of the 'vasomotor' neurones in the nucleus reticularis rostroventrolateralis.