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Effect of Pregnancy and Nitric Oxide on the Myogenic Vasodilation of Posterior Cerebral Arteries and the Lower Limit of Cerebral Blood Flow Autoregulation

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Abstract

Hemorrhage during parturition can lower blood pressure beyond the lower limit of cerebral blood flow (CBF) autoregulation that can cause ischemic brain injury. However, the impact of pregnancy on the lower limit of CBF autoregulation is unknown. We measured myogenic vasodilation, a major contributor of CBF autoregulation, in isolated posterior cerebral arteries (PCAs) from nonpregnant and late-pregnant rats (n = 10/group) while the effect of pregnancy on the lower limit of CBF autoregulation was studied in the posterior cerebral cortex during controlled hemorrhage (n = 8). Pregnancy enhanced myogenic vasodilation in PCA and shifted the lower limit of CBF autoregulation to lower pressures. Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) prevented the enhanced myogenic vasodilation during pregnancy but did not affect the lower limit of CBF autoregulation. The shift in the autoregulatory curve to lower pressures during pregnancy is likely protective of ischemic injury during hemorrhage and appears to be independent of NOS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA

    Abbie C. Chapman BS

  2. Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont College of Medicine, 149 Beaumont Ave., HSRF 416A, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA

    Abbie C. Chapman BS, Marilyn J. Cipolla PhD & Siu-Lung Chan PhD

  3. Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA

    Marilyn J. Cipolla PhD

  4. Department of Pharmacology, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA

    Marilyn J. Cipolla PhD

Authors
  1. Abbie C. Chapman BS
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  2. Marilyn J. Cipolla PhD
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  3. Siu-Lung Chan PhD
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Correspondence to Marilyn J. Cipolla PhD.

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Chapman, A.C., Cipolla, M.J. & Chan, SL. Effect of Pregnancy and Nitric Oxide on the Myogenic Vasodilation of Posterior Cerebral Arteries and the Lower Limit of Cerebral Blood Flow Autoregulation. Reprod. Sci. 20, 1046–1054 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719112473661

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