NON‐ADRENERGIC, NON‐CHOLINERGIC INNERVATION IN MONKEY AND HUMAN CEREBRAL ARTERIES

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Abstract
1 Transmural electrical stimulation (0.5 to 20 Hz) and nicotine (10−4 m) produced relaxations of helically-cut strips of monkey and human cerebral arteries, contracted with prostaglandin F2α. 2 The relaxation induced by electrical stimulation was suppressed or abolished by tetrodotoxin, while the nicotine-induced relaxation was abolished by hexamethonium but was unaffected by tetrodotoxin. Both relaxations were not attenuated by β-adrenoceptor antagonists and atropine. 3 These findings may indicate that large cerebral arteries of the monkey and man are innervated by non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic nerves, excitation of which liberates unknown vasodilator substance(s).