Correction of arterial blood pressure in adult rats with inherited stress-induced arterial hypertension by enhancement of catecholamine metabolism in early postnatal period.

A long-lasting decrease of the basal and stress-induced arterial blood pressure was obtained in rats with inherited emotional stress-induced hypertension by means of injections of the dopamine precursor L-DOPA during early postnatal ontogeny (21-25 days of the life). "Permanent" hypotensive effect of L-DOPA was caused by the elevation of the brain but not peripheral catecholamine levels and was not related to a stimulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical system in response to administration of the dopamine precursor. The restoring effect of L-DOPA was produced through enhancement of synthesis of the brain noradrenaline and, perhaps, adrenaline. The effect was associated with a normalization of the response of the brain adrenergic system to noradrenaline.