Vasopressin content of cerebrospinal fluid and fluid perfusing cerebral ventricles after the stimulation of preganglionic fibres of superior cervical ganglia in rats.

The subject of the study was the determination of the content of vasopressin (AVP) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and of the release of this neurohormone into the fluid perfusing the cerebral ventricles. The content of AVP in CSF taken from the cerebellomedullary cistern of rats under urethane anesthesia was 27 +/- 2.97 pg/ml. AVP was released into the fluid perfusing the cerebral ventricles at the rate of 6.83 +/- 0.7 pg/ml per 30 min. Electric stimulation of preganglionic fibres to the superior cervical ganglia did not cause any alterations in AVP release into the fluid perfusing the cerebral ventricles, which evidences lack of effect of the sympathetic system on the release of this neurohormone into the cerebral ventricles.