Atrial natriuretic factor effects on norepinephrine uptake in discrete telencephalic and diencephalic nuclei of the rat.

Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) effects on norepinephrine (NE) uptake in olfactory bulb, preoptic, periventricular, supraoptic, paraventricular and arcuate nuclei and median eminence of the rat were studied. Experiments were carried out in vitro on nuclei punched out according to the Palkovitz and Brownstein technique. Results showed that 100 nM ANF enhanced NE uptake in all nuclei studied. These data suggest that ANF may be indirectly involved in the regulation of neuroendocrine processes, behavioral arousal, sexual behavior, water and electrolyte balance, arterial blood pressure, etc., through the modulation of central noradrenergic neurotransmission.