This study investigated the involvement of serotonergic mechanisms of the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPBN) in the control of sodium (Na ϩ ) excretion, potassium (K ϩ ) excretion, and urinary volume in unanesthetized rats subjected to acute isotonic blood volume expansion (0.15 M NaCl, 2 ml/100 g of body wt over 1 min) or control rats. Plasma oxytocin (OT), vasopressin (VP), and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels were also determined in the same protocol. Male Wistar rats with stainless steel cannulas implanted bilaterally into the LPBN were used. In rats treated with vehicle in the LPBN, blood volume expansion increased urinary volume, Na ϩ and K ϩ excretion, and also plasma ANP and OT. Bilateral injections of serotonergic receptor antagonist methysergide (1 or 4 g/200 l) into the LPBN reduced the effects of blood volume expansion on increased Na ϩ and K ϩ excretion and urinary volume, while LPBN injections of serotonergic 5-HT2a/HT2c receptor agonist, 2.5-dimetoxi-4-iodoamphetamine hydrobromide (DOI; 1 or 5 g/200 l) enhanced the effects of blood volume expansion on Na ϩ and K ϩ excretion and urinary volume. Methysergide (4 g) into the LPBN decreased the effects of blood volume expansion on plasma ANP and OT, while DOI (5 g) increased them. The present results suggest the involvement of LPBN serotonergic mechanisms in the regulation of urinary sodium, potassium and water excretion, and hormonal responses to acute isotonic blood volume expansion. serotonin; natriuresis; atrial natriuretic peptide; oxytocin; vasopressin ISOTONIC BLOOD VOLUME expansion, by reflex mechanisms, induces a series of regulatory responses, including the inhibition of the sympathetic outflow to the kidney, heart, and blood vessels, reduction of renin and vasopressin (VP) secretion, and increase in the levels of circulating atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and oxytocin (OT) that leads to diuresis and natriuresis (1,2,12,14,20,24,45,53).There are several reports demonstrating the correlation between natriuresis and diuresis and plasma ANP levels in response to systemic volume expansion, e.g., atrial balloon inflation, blood volume expansion, salt load, and water immersion (4,7,17,32,50,59). These responses depend on the activation of sinoaortic baroreceptors and/or cardiopulmonary receptor afferents located in the atria, lungs, great veins, and ventricles that project to the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) (1, 12, 22). The NTS neurons convey blood volume expansion signals and project to and excite different areas within the forebrain and hindbrain to produce neuroendocrine responses. Studies using expression of the immediate early gene c-Fos as a marker of neuronal activation have shown that, in addition to the NTS, volume-loading activates the paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic (SON) nuclei, dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), caudal ventrolateral medulla, locus coeruleus, and also the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPBN) (6,20,46). The LPBN, a structure lying dorsolateral to the superior cerebellar peduncle, has been shown to play an ...