Arginine-vasopressin mediates central and peripheral glucose regulation in response to carotid body receptor stimulation with Na-cyanide.

Hypoxic stimulation of the carotid body receptors (CBR) results in a rapid hyperglycemia with an increase in brain glucose retention. Previous work indicates that neurohypophysectomy inhibits this hyperglycemic response. Here, we show that systemic arginine vasopressin (AVP) induced a transient, but significant, increase in blood glucose levels and increased brain glucose retention, a response similar to that observed after CBR stimulation.