Persistence of Cerebral Blood Flow Autoregulation Following Chronic Bilateral Cervical Sympathectomy in the Monkey

Abstract

Abstract The cerebral blood flow was measured in 11 monkeys after step changes in arterial blood pres sure in the pressure range 30–140 mmHg. In one group of 5 animals a bilateral excision of the superior cervical ganglia was performed about 2 weeks prior to the experiment. These animals, as well as those with an intact sympathetic innervation of the cerebral vessels, demonstrated an almost constant rCBF at pressures above 50–60 mmHg, 2.e . both groups showed autoregulation. It is concluded that cervical sympathectomy does not abolish autoregulation of the cerebral blood flow.