Summary:We investigated the effects of topically ad ministered catecholamines and acetylcholine (ACh) on the cerebrocortical microcirculation and NAD/NADH redox state in chloralose-anesthetized cats. NADH fluo rescence of the brain cortex and the volume of small in tracortical vessels were measured by fluororeflectometry, and in most of the experiments the pial vessels were photographed simultaneously through a cranial window. Cerebrocortical vascular volume (CVV) and the diameter of the pial vessels were decreased, and NADH was oxidized by concentrations of epinephrine and norepi nephrine as low as 3 x 10-8 M. Pial veins constricted approximately twice as much as pial arteries. ACh dila tated pial arteries, slightly constricted pial veins, and in creased CVV, but had no effect on the NAD/NADH redox state. Since pial and intracortical vessels were conThe dual sympathetic and parasympathetic in nervation of cerebral vessels is well recognized, and it has also been proved that cerebral vessels contain both adrenergic and cholinergic receptors (Ku schinsky and Wahl, 1975;Edvinsson and Owman, 1977; Auer et aI., 1981; Harik et ai., 1981; Ulrich et aI., 1982). In spite of this, the role of the autonomic nervous system and its humoral mediators in the regulation of cere bro vascular volume (CVV) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) is still a matter of controversy (Kuschinsky and Wahl, 1975;Kontos,