Neuroinflammation contributes to autophagy flux blockage in the neurons of rostral ventrolateral medulla in stress-induced hypertension rats.

Background: Neuroinflammation plays hypertensive roles in the uninjured autonomic nuclei of the central nervous system, while its mechanisms remain unclear. The present study is to investigate the effect of neuroinflammation on autophagy in the neurons of the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM), where sympathetic premotor neurons for the maintenance of vasomotor tone reside.

Methods: Stress-induced hypertension (SIH) was induced by electric foot-shock stressors with noise interventions in rats.