The secondary conditioned response of rats and the effects of some psychopharmacological agents.

These investigations were undertaken to determine if there was any corelation between the degree of granulation of the renal juxtaglomerular apparatus ( ]GA ) cells and changes in systematic blood pressure induced by hypotensive drugs. The hypotensive agents studied included dibenamine, chlorisondamine, alkavervir and hydralazine. Each dose was studied on a group of six albino rats or rabbits and the animals were sacrificed two hours after intravenous drug administration. The granulations of]GA responedto changes in blood pressure produced by these agents and various experimental procedures. The changes could be detected 30 minutes after the lowering of the blood pressure had begun. Many of the results obtained could be explained by the dirct action of corticotrophin (ACTH) upon the kidney. It has been suggested that ]GA may be the site of renin production.