Cardiovascular Regulation
The subfornical organ's impact on the cardiovascular system is again mostly seen through fluid balance. The SFO plays a role in vasopressin regulation. Vasopressin is a hormone that, when bonded to receptors in the kidneys, increases water retention in the cardiovascular system by decreasing the amount of fluid transferred out of the blood to the urine by the kidneys. This regulation of blood volume has effects on other aspects of the cardiovascular system. Increased or decreased blood volume has an effect on blood pressure, which is regulated by baroreceptors, and can in turn effect the strength of ventricular contraction in the heart, although heart rate is generally not effected by blood volume. Additional research has demonstrated that the subfornical organs may be an important intermediary though which leptin acts to maintain blood pressure within normal physiological limits via descending autonomic pathways associated with cardiovascular control.
SFO neurons have also been experimentally shown to broadcast efferent projections to regions involved in cardiovascular regulation including the lateral hypothalamus, with fibers terminating in the supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular (PVN) nuclei, and the anteroventral 3rd ventricle (AV3V) with fibers terminating in the OVLT and the median preoptic area.
Read more about this topic: Subfornical Organ, General Function
Famous quotes containing the word regulation:
“Lots of white people think black people are stupid. They are stupid themselves for thinking so, but regulation will not make them smarter.”
—Stephen Carter (b. 1954)