Catecholamines and vasopressin in forebrain nuclei of hypertension prone and resistant rats.

Catecholamine and vasopressin content were studied in discrete brain nuclei of the Sabra strain of hypertension prone (SBH) and resistant (SBN) rats. Higher concentrations of dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine were observed in the median eminence of SBN compared to SBH or controls (SB) rats. Dopamine and epinephrine levels were higher in the lateral septal nucleus of SBH rats as compared to SBN or SB. Vasopressin content in discrete regions along the hypothalamo-pituitary axis was elevated in both SBH and SBN as compared to SB, but were especially elevated in the SBH group. The catecholamine and vasopressin changes found in SBH are different than those described in other genetically hypertensive rats indicating a difference in either the pathogenesis or central response to hypertension of this strain.