1) To delineate the role of central α2-adrenoceptors in the pressor response to raised intracranial pressure(ICP), the influence of yohimbine, an α2-adrenoceptor antagonist, on the pressor response to raised ICP was investigated in urethane-anesthetized rabbits. 2) The ICP was raised by infusing saline into a balloon placed in the epidural space. The rise of ICP was slow in the beginning of the infusion but it became sharp as the infusion proceeded. 3) In response to raised ICP, blood pressure(BP) tended to decrease slightly in the beginning and then increased sharply. BP, however, fell abruptly and markedly if ICP was raised further. The maximal pressor response to raised ICP was the increase of 49 ± 2.4% of the original BP(mean ± SE in 32 experiments), and at this point the volume of saline infused into the balloon was 1.22 ± 0.15 ml, and the ICP 165 ± 6.4 mmHg. 4) Intraventricular yohimbine (50μg) by itself did not affect BP. After the administration of this dose of yohimbine the increase of both ICP and BP was observed after the infusion of much smaller volume of saline than in the control animals, i.e., after the infusion of 0.83 ± 0.02 ml of saline the maximal increase of preesor response(57 ± 4.5% in 6 experiments) appeared and at this state the ICP was 164 ± 9.6 mmHg. 5) Intraventricular clonidine(30μg) markedly decreased BP by itself, and in the clonidine-treated rabbits the increase of ICP induced by the infusion was much less than in the control group and the pressor response to raised ICP was hardly seen. 6) The hypotensive effect of intraventricular clonidine was reversed by a susequent intraventricular yohimbine(500μg). At this state the pressor response to raised ICP appeared as in the control animals. 7) These results show that the pressor response to raised ICP was facilitated when α2-adrenoceptors in the rabbit brain was blocked by yohimbine and that yohimbine antagonized the inhibitory effect of clonidine on the pressor response to raised ICP.