Thirst and salt appetite elicited by hypovolemia in rats with chronic lesions of the nucleus of the solitary tract

Ann M. Schreihofer, Brett K. Anderson, Jennifer C. Schiltz, Ling Xu, Alan F. Sved, Edward M. Stricker

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

33 Scopus citations

Abstract

Cardiac vagal afferents terminating in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) are believed to participate in stimulating neurohypophysial secretion of vasopressin as well as increased ingestion of water and NaCl solution in response to decreased blood volume. However, we recently reported that chronic lesions of NTS, which eliminate neural input from cardiac and arterial baroreceptors, do not impair hypovolemia-induced vasopressin secretion in rats. In the present investigation we sought to determine whether those sensory signals were necessary for hypovolemia-induced thirst and salt appetite. Rats with chronic lesions of the NTS increased consumption of water and NaCl solution normally when plasma volume was reduced isosmotically by subcutaneous injection of polyethylene glycol solution. These results were obtained whether rats were allowed to drink water or 0.15 M NaCl in one-bottle tests or water and 0.5 M NaCl in two-bottle tests. The induction of thirst and salt appetite by hypovolemia despite the apparent loss of neural input to the brain from cardiac volume-sensitive receptors indicates that other signals generated by plasma volume deficits can stimulate these behavioral responses in rats.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)R251-R258
JournalAmerican Journal of Physiology - Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology
Volume276
Issue number1 45-1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1999

Keywords

  • Baroreceptors
  • Sodium chloride
  • Volume regulation
  • Water

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Thirst and salt appetite elicited by hypovolemia in rats with chronic lesions of the nucleus of the solitary tract'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this