Cardiovascular changes in elicited by vagal gastric afferents in the rat

Abstract

Cardiovascular changes elicited by gastric distension in the urethane anaesthetized rat are described. Heart rate changes were mediated via a vago-vagal pathway with 'in-series' tension receptors in the stomach wall providing the afferent input and cholinergic cardio-inhibitory fibres forming the efferent pathway. Blood pressure changes occurred independently of the heart rate changes; the main afferent pathway was again vagal but the efferent outflow was non-cholinergic and probably sympathetic.