Study of Norepinephrine Levels and Sympathetic Nervous System Activity

Completed

Conditions studied: Autonomic Nervous System Disease, Healthy, Hypertension

In brief

Brain and nerve cells communicate with each other by releasing and picking up chemicals called neurotransmitters. Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter used by part of the nervous system activated during stress called the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is involved with regulating blood pressure and pulse rate. Researchers believe the level norepinephrine in the blood can be used to measure activity of the sympathetic nervous system. This study is designed to answer important questions about rates of release of norepinephrine into the blood stream, removal of released norepinephrine, and the sympathetic nervous system response to stress. Researchers will attempt to measure levels of norepinephrine and activity of the sympathetic nervous system in patients with high blood pressure, normal patients with family histories of high blood pressure, patients taking drugs that can effect levels of norepinephrine, and patients with diseases or conditions directly affecting the sympathetic nervous system.

Key facts

Study ID
NCT00001329
Run by
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
People needed
50
Starts
1992-09-01
Expected to finish
2002-09-01
Last updated by the study team
2008-03-04

Who can join

Age: any. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

Where it is running

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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