Effect of tail suspension on haemodynamics in intact and sympathectomized rats

The effect of a 2-week tail suspension on mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse interval (PI) was studied in conscious chronically instrumented intact and sympathectomized rats. Sympathectomy was induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (100 mg(.)kg(-1), i.v.), injected 1 day before, and on days 5 and 10 of suspension. During suspension the intact rats had the same levels of MAP and PI as the intact controls. After release from suspension their MAP did not change: PI decreased (by 9%), but only for 1 h. Sympathectomy augmented the haemodynamic changes after release from suspension: tachycardia (10%) and hypotension (19%) were observed during the entire recording period (2 h). Therefore, in rats, post-suspension hypotension becomes apparent only after elimination of sympathetic influences. In spite of unaltered systemic parameters, intact post-suspension rats showed diminished responses to intravenous administration of tyramine (100 mug(.)kg(-1)) and phenylephrine (1-2 mug(.)kg(-1)). In addition, they showed augmented haemodynamic changes associated with natural behaviour. The increase of MAP and the decrease of PI on transition from rest to movement were more pronounced in the intact post-suspension rats than in the control rats (MAP 8.3% vs 4.5 %, PI 15% vs 9%). In control rats the spectrum power density of low-frequency (0.0195-0.25 Hz) MAP fluctuations depended only weakly on behavioural activity, whereas in post-suspension intact rats it was profoundly augmented during movements (by 170%). Since the rapid adjustment of haemodynamics to behavioural activity is controlled by the sympathetic nervous system, the unbalanced condition of the cardiovascular system after suspension may reflect an altered sympathetic nerve control of the circulation.