Mechanisms underlying hypertensive reactions under emotional stress.

In experiments on alert cats shifts of the systemic hemodynamics under emotional stress were studied. The hypertension caused by confrontation with a dog is shown in most cases to be attended by suppression of the baroreceptor reflexes. Hypertension does not develop in these animals after section of the sinocarotid and aortic nerves. In 2 cats the baroreceptor reflexes did not change under emotional stress and deafferentation of the carotid sinuses and arch of the aorta intensified hypertension upon confrontation with a dog. It is concluded that diverse mechanisms lead to hypertension under emotional stress in different animals.