Bastos, R., J.V. Menani, W.A. Saad, A. Renzi, J.E.N. Silveira and L.A.A. Camargo. Ventromedial hypothalamus lesions increase the dipsogenic responses and reduce the pressor responses to median preoptic area activation. Physiol Behav 62(2)311-316, 1997.—In this study, we investigated the participation of adrenergic receptors of the median preoptic area (MnPO) and the participation of ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) in angiotensin II- (ANG II)-induced water intake and pressor responses. Male rats with sham or electrolytic VMH lesions and a stainless steel cannula implanted into the MnPO were used. Noradrenaline, clonidine (an α 2-adrenergic receptor agonist), or phenylephrine (an α 1-adrenergic receptor agonist) injected into the MnPO of sham-lesioned rats reduced water ingestion induced by ANG II injected into the same area. In VMH-lesioned rats ANG II-induced water intake increased with a previous injection of noradrenaline, phenylephrine, or isoproterenol. The pressor response induced by ANG II injected into the MnPO was reduced in VMH-lesioned rats, whereas the pressor response induced by clonidine was abolished. Previous treatment with noradrenaline and phenylephrine into the MnPO of sham-lesioned rats produced a pressor response, and a hypotensive response was obtained with the previous administration of noradrenaline, phenylephrine or isoproterenol into the MnPO of VMH-lesioned rats. These results show that VMH is essential for the dipsogenic and pressor responses induced by adrenergic and angiotensinergic activation of the MnPO in rats.