Mechanism of impaired myogenic response in cerebral blood vessels during posthypoxic recovery

Cerebral blood flow autoregulation is impaired in newborn animals when a brief period of hypoxia is followed by normoxia. Because myogenic mechanisms are widely thought to be responsible for autoregulation, this study examined the effect of hypoxia and reoxygenation on the isometric mechanical function of isolated cerebral (basilar) arterial smooth muscle made to contract rhythmically and thus simulate the behaviour of arterioles. Although at rest a small amount of active tension was present in these preparations, this tension was further increased and the muscle was rendered spontaneously rhythmic by treatment with 4-aminopyridine. Reduction of bath from 120 to 25 mmHg (1 mmHg = 133.32 Pa) caused an increase in tension followed by a return towards normal tension. At this time rhythmic oscillations gradually decreased in amplitude. Restoration of normal oxygen tension caused a rapid reduction and an undershoot in tension followed by recovery to normal level. Two possible mechanisms for this undershoot, wh...