Noncholinergic transmitter(s) maintains secretion of catecholamines from rat adrenal medulla for several hours of continuous stimulation of splanchnic neurons.

The effect of continuous stimulation of splanchnic nerves at 1, 3, and 10 Hz on the secretion of catecholamines from the isolated rat adrenal gland was examined. Secretion evoked at 10 Hz declined over 60% in 1 h, and by the end of 4 h the secretion was only 10% of the initial value. The secretion evoked at 3 Hz was unchanged in the first hour, but showed a gradual decline in subsequent hours. In contrast, secretion evoked at 1 Hz was well maintained for several hours. Even after 6 h of continuous stimulation, the decline was only about 35%. Atropine plus hexamethonium reduced the secretion evoked at 10 Hz by over 80%, but that evoked at 1 Hz was reduced by about 35%; addition of naloxone reduced it to 75%. When the secretion declined to very low levels after continuous stimulation at 10 Hz for 100 min, a change in frequency to 3 Hz or 1 Hz caused a sharp rebound in the secretory response. Returning the frequency back to 10 Hz led to a sharp drop in the secretion, whereas reducing the frequency to 1 or 3 Hz once again increased the secretion. The rebound in the secretory response after switchover of frequencies was observed in the presence of atropine plus hexamethonium, but was abolished by naloxone. Extensive stimulations, which caused large amounts of catecholamine secretions at each frequency, were not associated with any loss in tissue catecholamine contents. The major conclusion is that secretion of catecholamines is maintained uninterrupted for several hours when splanchnic nerves are stimulated at low frequency.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)