Central amygdaloid nucleus lesion attenuates exaggerated hemodynamic responses to noise stress in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.

The regional hemodynamic basis of the cardiovascular response to acute noise stress in spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and the role of the central amygdaloid nucleus in mediating this response was investigated. Using the pulsed Doppler flow probe technique it was determined that in response to noise, SHR exhibit a significantly greater percent increase in renal and mesenteric vascular resistance than WKY. Vascular responses in the hindquarter were similar in both groups. Bilateral lesion of the central amygdaloid nucleus or its output pathways to the brainstem decreased the cardiovascular response to noise in both SHR and WKY, with SHR and WKY lesion rats responding similarly. The central amygdaloid nucleus appears to participate in the cardiovascular response to acute noise stress in SHR and WKY. Although other structures in the limbic system network may contribute to integration of responses that involve the amygdala the present data suggest that this structure may play a central role in mediating the exaggerated cardiovascular responsiveness of SHR to environmental stress.