Krimer L S, Muly E C, Williams G V, Goldman-Rakic P S
Section of Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA.
Nat Neurosci. 1998 Aug;1(4):286-9. doi: 10.1038/1099.
Functional variations in cerebral cortical activity are accompanied by local changes in blood flow, but the mechanisms underlying this physiological coupling are not well understood. Here we report that dopamine, a neurotransmitter normally associated with neuromodulatory actions, may directly affect local cortical blood flow. Using light and electron-microscopic immunocytochemistry, we show that dopaminergic axons innervate the intraparenchymal microvessels. We also provide evidence in an in vitro slice preparation that dopamine produces vasomotor responses in the cortical vasculature. These anatomical and physiological observations reveal a previously unknown source of regulation of the microvasculature by dopamine. The findings may be relevant to the mechanisms underlying changes in blood flow observed in circulatory and neuropsychiatric disorders.
大脑皮质活动的功能变化伴随着局部血流变化，但其生理耦合机制尚未完全明了。我们在此报告，多巴胺这种通常与神经调节作用相关的神经递质，可能直接影响局部皮质血流。运用光镜和电镜免疫细胞化学方法，我们发现多巴胺能轴突支配脑实质内微血管。我们还在体外脑片制备实验中证明，多巴胺可使皮质血管产生血管舒缩反应。这些解剖学和生理学观察揭示了多巴胺对微血管调节的一个此前未知的来源。这些发现可能与循环系统和神经精神疾病中观察到的血流变化机制相关。
