Does the kidney influence the hunger for salt?

Sympathetic overactivation contributes to hypertension. Renal denervation can reduce blood pressure. In the deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)–salt model of hypertension, salt consumption contributes to high blood pressure. A report in Kidney International finds selective ablation of renal sensory afferent nerves diminishes self-directed saline intake in the DOCA-salt rat. This suggests that these sensory nerves input to centers in the brain, amplifying salt intake. If translatable, renal denervation may have an unanticipated benefit of reducing the drive to consume salty foods in patients with poorly controlled hypertension.