2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) evokes an increase in the efferent discharge rate of the adrenal nerve in narcotized rats and rabbits. The study reported here was undertaken to determine the sympathetic nerves and blood pressure responses to i.v. 2-DG administration in awake SHR rats. An increase in adrenal sympathetic nerve activity (adrSNA) by 63%' was observed 15 min after 125 mg/kg 2-DG administration, but there were no changes in the renal sympathetic nerve activity (renSNA), blood pressure (BP) or the heart rate (HR). Additional administration of 375 mg/kg 2-DG (cumulative dose was 500 mg/kg) led to the increase in the adrSNA by more then 120%', and in BP by 20 mm Hg, whereas renSNA was increased only by 30%'. These results indicate that 2-DG-induced neuroglycopenia evokes highly differential changes in adrenal and renSNA in awake SHR rats. Whether this explains the marked response in BP in SHR to 2-DG is to be established.