Decrease in afferent evoked glutamate release in the rat NTS in chronic heart failure

Abstract

Homeostatic mechanisms maintain arterial blood pressure, blood volume and arterial blood gases within a narrow physiological range. One of the important sites in the brain involved in this regulation is the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) which receives afferent information from baroreceptors, cardiopulmonary and chemoreceptors. The major transmitter involved is considered to be glutamate, which is released into the NTS when these cardiovascular/visceral afferents are activated. This study was carried out to determine if this release of glutamate from cardiovascular afferents can be detected using glutamate biosensors (Sarissaprobes®) and whether it is altered in heart failure.