[Regional characteristics of the noradrenergic and cholinergic innervation of the vessels of the brain surface].

Specific histochemical techniques for the demonstration of catecholamines and acetylcholinesterase (ACE) have been used to compare densities of innervation of the proximal and distal regions of pial arteries in the rat brain. The most distal parts, so called "arterial bordering zones" have very scarce noradrenergic innervation while the proximal parts of the vessels have an abundant noradrenergic nerve supply. ACE-positive fibers are distributed evenly. It is suggested that the preferential injuring of the brain tissue in acute hypertension characteristic of the arterial bordering zones might be due to deficiency in noradrenergic innervation of the pial arteries in these regions.