Excitation of Phasically Firing Hypothalamic Supraoptic Neurones by Carotid Occlusion in Rats

1. The activity of supraoptic neurones has been recorded extracellularly during bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries in anaesthetized rats. 2. Experiments in lactating rats showed that occlusion liberated sufficient amounts of neurohypophysial hormones to cause a rise in intramammary pressure 15-25 s after the onset of occlusion. 3. Ninety-one percent of the phasic neurones (defined as those showing bursts of activity alternating with periods of silence) were activated by carotid occlusion less than 10 s after the onset of occlusion. Most randomly firing neurones were inhibited or were unaffected. 4. The activation of phasic neurones is unlikely to be just a nonspecific effect, because in the same animals, phasic neurones were excited whilst random neurones were not. 5. Moreover, in phasic neurones, statistical analysis shows (a) that the intervals during which an occlusion was performed were significantly shorter than the intervals between spontaneously occurring bursts, and (b) that this activation was followed by a period of reduced firing probability. 6. The results are discussed with reference to the correlation of supraoptic neuronal activity with hormone release. The possibility is considered of relating the tendency of some supraoptic neurones to fire in bursts with the secretion of vasopressin.