Importance of central vasomotor effects in angiotensin-induced hypertension.

Ablation of the areas postrema in 10 dogs caused a highly significant reduction in the pressor response to intravenous infusions of angiotensin yet was without significant effect on the pressor response to intravenous infusions of noradrenaline. The reduction in the pressor response to angiotensin is almost certainly due to abolition of the specific central autonomic effects of the hormone which are dependent on the integrity of the areas postrema. It is suggested that this central effect also contributes to the cardiovascular response to endogenous angiotensin.