Vida Alikhani - Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Reza Mohebbati - Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Mahmoud Hosseini - Division of Neurocognitive Sciences, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Abolfazl Khajavirad - Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Mohammad Naser Shafei - Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Objective(s): Periaqueductal gray (PAG) is a mesencephalic area divided into four columns including ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG). vlPAG plays a role in cardiovascular regulation during normal and hemorrhagic (Hem) conditions. Due to presence of glutamate in this area, we evaluated the effect of glutamatergic receptors of this area on cardiovascular activity in normotensive and hypovolemic Hem rats.Materials and Methods: Animals were divided into twelve groups: saline (vehicle), Glutamate, GYK۵۲۴۶۶ (non-NMDA receptor antagonist), and MK۸۰۱ (NMDA receptor antagonist) with and without Glu microinjected into vlPAG in normal and Hem conditions. Following the femoral artery cannulating and microinjecting, changes (Δ) of heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were recorded via a PowerLab unit.Results: In normotensive conditions, microinjection of Glu increased ΔMAP, ΔSBP, and ΔHR (p <۰.۰۰۱). MK-۸۰۱ and GYKI-۵۲۴۶۶ nonsignificant reduced cardiovascular responses than vehicle while their changes were significant compared with glutamate (p <۰.۰۰۱). Co-injection of GYKI- ۵۲۴۶۶ with Glu did not significantly reduce ΔSBP and ΔMAP induced by Glu (P>۰.۰۵) but co-injection of MK-۸۰۱ with Glu significantly attenuate these effects(p <۰.۰۱). In Hem, Glu increased ΔSBP, ΔMAP, and ΔHR (p <۰.۰۵). GYKI-۵۲۴۶۶ alone did not change cardiovascular responses but MK-۸۰۱ decreased ΔSBP than Hem (p <۰.۰۱). Co-injection of GYKI-۵۲۴۶۶ with Glu had significant(p <۰.۰۵) but MK-۸۰۱ with Glu had no significant effect compared with Hem (P>۰.۰۵).Conclusion: The glutamatergic system of vlPAG increases cardiovascular values that are mostly mediated through the NMDA receptor. Since vlPAG is well known as an inhibitory region, it seems that glutamate does not have a noteworthy cardiovascular role in vlPAG during Hem and normal conditions.

Cardiovascular system, Periaqueductal gray, Hemorrhage, Glutamic acid, blood pressure