Reactivity of rat basilar artery to serotonin after short-term ischemia of hindbrain and during chronic vertebrobasilar insufficiency.

Contractile responses of the basilar artery to serotonin were examined in vitro on two models of circulation disturbances in the vertebrobasilar region of the brain. Two days after 30-min reversible occlusion of vertebral arteries, the sensitivity of the basilar artery to serotonin decreased, while chronic vertebrobasilar insufficiency had no effect on serotonin-induced contraction.