Lack of short-term autoregulation in the cochlear microcirculation in guinea pigs.

To determine the relationship between the dynamics of mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) elevation and possible changes in the cochlear microcirculation the cochlear blood flow (CBF) was measured in guinea pigs by a laser Doppler method. The MABP was elevated at rates ranging from 0.02 mmHg/s to 4 mmHg/s by intravenous infusions of norepinephrine or epinephrine in various concentrations. A fall in MABP was induced by exsanguination of the animals. The purpose of the experiments was to record the time of onset and course of an expected autoregulation in the cochlea in response to slow or rapid changes in MABP. The data suggest that there is no short-term autoregulation in the cochlear microcirculation reflecting the increase of the MABP, but a slight compensation occurs when the MABP declines. These latter changes could be attributed to the high CO2 sensitivity of the cochlear blood vessels.