Figure 3

Data for mean arterial blood pressure (BP, (A)), somatosensory evoked potential amplitudes (SEP, (B)), evoked hemodynamic responses (EVFR, (C)), and resting laser Doppler flow values (resting LDF, (D)) are given for the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated groups. There were no significant differences for the BP and resting LDF between the groups. The resting LDF increased approximately 30% until the end of experiments. Vagus nerve stimulation stabilized potential amplitudes (VGX LPS + STIM; * P < 0.05 versus SHAM LPS, graph B) whereas vagotomy had an opposite effect (VGX LPS) as compared to the sham surgeries (SHAM LPS). The evoked responses remained stable throughout the experiments in the VGX LPS + STIM group showing a significant difference to the SHAM LPS group (*, P < 0.05, VGX LPS + STIM versus SHAM LPS, graph C). Again, vagotomy had a negative effect on the uncoupling (^#, P < 0.05, VGX versus VGX LPS + STIM, ^##, P < 0.01, VGX versus VGX LPS + STIM, graph C). n = 10 rats each. Data are given as the mean ± SEM.