Changes in arterial blood pressure alter activity of electrophysiologically identified single units of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis.

The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis may play a role in cardiovascular function by way of its connectivity to the diagonal band of Broca/ventral septal area. The present study sought to determine whether changes in systemic blood pressure affect the electrical activity of single units within the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Extracellular voltage recordings from neurons in the bed nucleus were performed in urethane-anaesthetized rats catheterized for arterial blood pressure measurements and for the intravenous administration of pressor and depressor drugs. Afferent or efferent connectivity of each recorded neuron was determined following electrical stimulation of nearby nuclei with and without known barosensitive regions. Of neurons demonstrating efferent connectivity (antidromically evoked potentials) with the diagonal band of Broca/ventral septal area or habenular nuclei, 24 and 20%, respectively, responded to changes in blood pressure with either increases or decreases in firing frequency. Paraventricular nucleus-projecting neurons were not affected by alterations in arterial blood pressure. Orthodromic potentials (inhibitory and/or excitatory) in the bed nucleus were also observed following stimulation of these nearby nuclei. Of these orthodromically activated neurons, changes in arterial pressure affected 31% of neurons receiving input from the diagonal band of Broca/ventral septal area, 33% of neurons with connectivity to the habenular nuclei and 60% of neurons with connectivity to the paraventricular nucleus. These data show that the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis contains a sub-population of cells that are sensitive to deviations in resting arterial pressure and that these cells receive synaptic modulation from several limbic/forebrain sources. Furthermore, the results are consistent with a role for the bed nucleus in the control of cardiovascular function and as a relay nucleus for modified baroreceptor input toward the diagonal band of Broca/ventral septal area.