Determinants of response of pial arteries to norepinephrine and sympathetic nerve stimulation.

Feline pial arteries larger than 100 mu in diameter constricted in response to cervical sympathetic nerve stimulation suggests or in response to topical application of norepinephrine. Smaller pial arteries were unresponsive to norepinephrine. This unresponsiveness persisted when norepinephrine was dissolved in CSF with high calcium ion concentration, or in CSF with both high calcium ion and zero magnesium ion concentration, or when it was dissolved in the acid fluid used by Wahl et al. and applied by constant infusion or by intermittent application. Comparison of the responses of the larger pial vessels to norepinephrine and to sympathetic nerve stimulation that maximal activation of sympathetic nerves achieves a concentration of released norepinephrine equal to 5.9 x 10(-6) M. The constriction of the larger pial vessels in response to sympathetic nerve stimulation could account for modest reductions in cerebral blood flow.