On the Mechanism of Decrease of Aldosterone Secretion in the Dog

Summary

Experiments were done in dogs to elucidate the mechanism by which the vagus nerves may influence aldosterone secretion. The results suggest that the vagus nerves form the afferent limb of a reflex activated by atrial stretch which may exert only an inhibitory effect upon aldosterone secretion, The role of efferent impulses was eliminated by atropinization, which did not prevent the fall of aldosterone secretion which follows caval release. The role of atrial stretch was suggested by the observation that caval release (which increased atrial pressure) lowered aldosterone secretion more than carotid release (which did not). The purely inhibitory role of the vagus was suggested by the finding that vagotomy did not stimulate aldosterone secretion even after denervation of the thyro-carotid arterial junctions.