There are relatively few studies where the central nervous control of cutaneous vasocontrictor (cvc) tone has been analyzed by recording sympathetic activity. This is probably because time consuming fibre picking techniques, lacking long term stability, have been used to sample cvc activity (Habler et al., 2000). Here we present a simple technique, providing stable recordings, that has been used successfully in our laboratory to sample population sympathetic activity regulating the rat tail (thermoregulatory) circulation. Urethane-anaesthetised male rats (urethane, initial dose, 1.3 g kg^-1, I.P., supplemented with 5-10 mg I.V. as required) are positive pressure ventilated with oxygen-enriched air. A femoral artery and vein are canulated to monitor blood pressure and to administer drugs, respectively. Rats have their cauda equina transected to remove the somatomotor component of nerve activity from tail nerves (collector nerves) (Smith & Gilbey, 1998). Monophasic sympathetic activity is recorded from a dorsal or ventral collector nerve using implanted bipolar silver wire /suction electrodes (Johnson & Gilbey, 1994; Korsak & Gilbey, 2004). Rats are humanely killed at the end of experiments with a urethane overdose (200 mg I.V., in a bolus injection). This technique has been used for exploring the medullary control of cutaneous activity (Korsak & Gilbey, 2004) and here we focus on our current studies exploring the spinal circuitry and the mechanisms involved in the generation of rhythmical discharges in cvc activity.