The effect of stress and corticosteroids on the rate of blood flow in the microvessels of the gastric muscular coat of rats

: In order to evaluate the influence of stress and corticosteroids on blood flow velocity in microvessels of muscular coat of the stomach we applied intravital microfilming by means of a dark-field contact epiobjective. The plasma filled "gap" in the continuous erythrocyte flow were used as the markers to measure linear flow velocity. In unstressed rats the velocity was equal to 1.76 +/- 0.07 mm/sec (182 microvessels, 3.7-8.7 mu in diameter). Stress (water immersion and restraint) led to a decrease of blood flow velocity in microvessels to more than double. A stress-induced decrease of blood flow velocity was greater in rats with insufficient corticosteroid production. The velocity of blood flow in these rats was lowered to 0.62 +/- 0.04 mm/sec. Replacement corticosterone therapy increased the blood flow velocity. It was concluded that stress decreases blood flow in microvessels of muscular coat of the stomach as well as in microvessels of mucosa. The results revealed that glycocorticoids take part in normalisation of blood flow of gastric microvessels during stress.