LAUSR

Abstract Background: Intra-abdominal hypertension is known as a factor affecting cerebral haemodynamics. Sustainably elevated abdominal pressure may disturb the balance of intracranial/blood pressure ratio, eventually developing perfusion pressure to drop. Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of artificially elevated intra-abdominal pressure upon brain pial vessels condition and contractile reactivity of isolated rat arteria carotis communis and vena jugularis to norepinephrine and serotonin. Materials and methods: The abdominal pressure of rats anaesthetized with xylazine 10 mg/kg and ketamine 100 mg/kg was increased up to 25 mm Hg by insufflation of air through venflon cannula and maintained for period of 1 to 3 hours. Craniotomy of left parietal area was carried out by micro drill. Open scull and cranial window techniques were applied. Outer diameters of superficial pial vessels were measured by USB digital microcamera (magnification up to 400x). Contractile reactivity of smooth muscle preparations from arteria carotis communis and vena jugularis of euthanized abdominal-hypertensive (AH) rats was registered isometrically. Results: Increased smooth muscle reactivity of a. carotis communis from AH rats to serotonin (10−8-10−4 mol/l) but not to norepinephrine compared to controls was registered. The changes tended to be higher in long lasting (3 hours) exposure of AH rats. Increase in outer diameter of pial vessels during maintenance of abdominal hypertension in both open scull and cranial window techniques was found. Conclusions: The increased intra-abdominal pressure causes dilatation of small superficial cerebral blood vessels and increases the smooth muscle reactivity of isolated arteria carotis communis to 5-HT.