"These studies provide us with unique insights into the mechanisms of blood pressure stress response and will provide a novel target for the treatment of this distinct form of high blood pressure," says Ulrich Broeckel, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics, medicine, and physiology, and chief of pediatric genomics at the Children's Research Institute.

Dr. Broeckel conducted these studies in collaboration with Ted Kotchen, M.D., associate dean for clinical research; Allen Cowley, Ph.D., Chairman and Harry & Gertrude Hack Term Professor in Physiology; and James J. Smith and Catherine Welsch Smith Professor in Physiology; and Howard Jacob, Ph.D., Warren P. Knowles Professor in Human and Molecular Genetics and director of the Center at the Medical College. Other collaborators were Michael Harrison, graduate physiology student, as well as Dr. P. Hamet at the University of Montreal.

In an accompanying commentary, Dr. Guido Grassi, at the Clinica Medica, Italy, notes that "the approaches employed in the present study, along with the nerve traffic recording technique, represent the most sophisticated and sensitive methodologies currently available to assess neuroadrenergic function in different experimental animal models." He further emphasizes the need for additional studies to determine the therapeutic implications.

Source: Medical College of Wisconsin