Temporal changes in the exercise pressor reflex in type 1 diabetic rats.

Previous studies have shown that diabetic peripheral neuropathy affects both unmyelinated and myelinated afferents, similar to those evoking the exercise pressor reflex. However, the effect of type 1 diabetes (T1DM) on this reflex is not known. We examined, in decerebrate male and female T1DM [streptozotocin (STZ)] and healthy control (CTL) rats, pressor and cardioaccelerator responses to isometric contraction of the hindlimb muscles during the early and late stages of the disease. STZ (50 mg/kg) was injected to induce diabetes, and experiments were conducted at 1, 3, and 6 wk after injection. On the day of the experiment, we statically contracted the hindlimb muscles by stimulating the sciatic nerve and measured changes in mean arterial pressure and heart rate. We found that the pressor but not cardioaccelerator response was exaggerated in STZ rats at 1 wk (STZ: 21 ± 3 mmHg, = 10, and CTL: 14 ± 2 mmHg, = 10, < 0.05) and at 3 wk (STZ: 26 ± 5 mmHg, = 10, and CTL: 17 ± 3 mmHg, = 11, < 0.05) after injection. However, at 6 wk, and only in male rats, both the pressor (STZ: 13 ± 3 mmHg, = 12, and CTL: 17 ± 3 mmHg, = 13, < 0.05) and cardioaccelerator responses (STZ: 7 ± 3 beats/min, = 12, and CTL: 10 ± 3 beats/min, = 13, < 0.05) to contraction were significantly attenuated in STZ rats compared with CTL rats. These data indicate that T1DM exaggerates the exercise pressor reflex during the early stages of the disease in both male and female rats. Conversely, T1DM attenuates this reflex in the late stage of the disease in male but not female rats. This is the first study to provide evidence that the pressor and cardioaccelerator responses to skeletal muscle contraction vary depending on the duration of type 1 diabetes.