A study of effects of putative neurotransmitters injected into the lateral cerebral ventricle of man.

1. The study was carried out in adult patients having normal cardiovascular reflexes and no brain stem lesions. They were exposed to ambient temperature of 72-74 degrees F. Injections of agonists and antagonists of receptors were made into the lateral cerebral ventricles of these patients through diagnostic burr hole in the skull. 2. Noradrenaline, adrenaline and dopamine evoked hypotension and bradycardia. While the core temperature was reduced by nor-adrenaline and adrenaline, dopamine evoked hyperthermia. Isoprenaline elicited hypertension, tachycardia and hyperthermia. Opposite cardiovascular and thermal effects were observed with blockade of alpha 1-, beta-and dopamine receptors with prazosin, propranolol and haloperidol respectively. 3. Injection of 5-hydroxytryptamine resulted in hypertension, tachycardia and hyperthermia but hypotension, bradycardia and hypothermia were seen with methysergide. 4. Similarly, carbachol injection caused initial excitatory followed by inhibitory cardiovascular responses. These were associated with hypothermia. On the contrary atropine per se elicited hypertension, tachycardia and hyperthermia. 5. Thus, alpha 1- and beta-adrenoceptors, dopaminergic, serotonergic and muscarinic cholinergic receptors are present in human brain which appear to modulate cardiovascular activity and core temperature.