British journal of pharmacology
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1. The cardiovascular and behavioural effects of cholinomimetic drugs injected through a cannula chronically implanted into a lateral cerebral ventricle were examined in unanaesthetized dogs.2. Acetylcholine (ACh) (10-20 mug) produced an increase in arterial pressure and heart rate, the dogs became more alert, moved their heads, licked and swallowed and then became drowsy.3. ⋯ The responses to nicotine were not reproducible if injections were repeated on the same day but could be again produced if a few days were allowed to elapse between injections.7. An increased heart rate occurred during the pressor response to the cholinomimetic drugs but when a comparable pressor response was produced by intravenous infusion of noradrenaline in the same unanaesthetized dogs pronounced reflex bradycardia resulted.8. The results indicate that the activation of both muscarinic and nicotinic cholinergic mechanisms leads to cardiovascular and behavioural effects in the conscious dog although the site of action and peripheral mechanisms have not been determined.