Pial Vascular Behavior during Bilateral and Contralateral Cervical Sympathetic Stimulation

The present study in cats investigates the effect of cervical sympathetic stimulation on changes of diameter of pial arteries and veins, CBF, and intracranial pressure (ICP) using the cranial window and hydrogen clearance techniques. During 20 min of bilateral stimulation, pial arteries maximally constricted by 12%, veins by 13–15%. While the constriction of the large arteries remained stable during the whole 20-min period of bilateral stimulation, small arteries escaped after some 2 min. A similar though weaker trend was noted for the veins. CBF was reduced at 2 min by 31%, and was not different from resting at 18 min. Contralateral stimulation for 20 min induced early constriction only in small arteries, while all other vessels remained more or less unreactive. This phenomenon is explained by interhemispheric arterial collaterals that bring sympathetic fibers mainly to small arteries contralaterally. ICP was lowered initially by 47 ± 12% during bilateral and by 23 ± 5% during contralateral stimulation. ICP escaped after 2 and 5 min during bilateral and contralateral stimulation, respectively, and even started to rise after some 10 min. From these data, it is concluded that the sympathoadrenergic system exerts a short-lasting protective effect upon cerebral vascular volume. Small arteries escape from constriction as a consequence of primarily myogenic counteraction of pial and intraparenchymal vessels, and probably additional metabolic dilatation of intraparenchymal vessels.