隐神经C类纤维传入诱发小脑皮层电反应

当弱刺激只引起隐神经A类纤维传入时,小脑皮层出现A-CEP,由潜伏期为11.8±3.5ms的早成分和312.1±17.5ms的晚成分组成;当强刺激同时引起A类和C类纤维传入时,出现AC-CEP类似A-CEP;用极化电流选择性阻断A类纤维传导后,只让C类纤维传入时,出现潜伏期为134.2±18.4ms的C-CEP。在Ⅵ小叶蚓部原裂附近C-CEP以正波为主,幅值最大,并在深层位相倒转。C-CEP的潜伏期较长,频率响应较低,幅值较小,随C类纤维传入量而变化,且对镇痛剂较敏感。结果表明C-CEP是由单纯C类纤维传入引起的,在小脑皮层内产生,是小脑皮层对慢痛信息传入的反应。提示C类纤维传入可以到达小脑皮层,引起诱发电位。当A和C类纤维同时传入时,C-CEP不出现,可能是被A类纤维传入所抑制。     

伤害性刺激诱发体感皮层单位放电的互协方差函数分析

用伤害性刺激猫的腓浅神经（ＰＮ）诱发体感皮层Ⅰ区（ＳⅠ）单位放电（ＥＤ）,以放电阵列图和标准化互协方差函数进行定量分析。结果显示,用２５Ｖ刺激时引起Ａ类和Ｃ类纤维传入,在ＳⅠ记录到潜伏期为１４．８±５．０ｍｓ的早期ＥＤ（Ｅ）,与用３Ｖ弱刺激ＰＮ时只引起单纯Ａ类纤维传入引起的放电反应比较,潜伏期无显著区别。用极化电流阻断Ａ类纤维传入后,单纯Ｃ类传入只引起潜伏期为２２２．６±２８．７ｍｓ的晚期ＥＤ（Ｌ）或１２９．２４±２３ｍｓ的中期ＥＤ（Ｍ）,Ｍ、Ｌ可相互抑制,也可被Ａ类纤维传入所抑制。静脉注射镇痛剂吗啡后,Ｍ和Ｌ显著减少,Ｅ变化不显著。提示Ｃ类纤维传入可能分两类分别到达ＳⅠ区引起两种不同潜伏期的诱发放电,均与疼痛关系密切,都可作为慢痛反应的指标。     

Characteristics of activity of "fast" and "slow" Purkinje cells of the cerebellum

In the guinea pig cerebellar cortex, three types of Purkinje cells were identified according to the properties of complex spikes: fast, intermediate, and slow cells. Fast Purkinje cells have following properties as compared with slow Purkinje cells: (i) salient components with short intervals in complex impulses (on the average, five components with a period of about 2 ms versus two components with a period of about 4 ms); (ii) a short duration of simple spikes (in the average, 2.13 +/- 0.53 ms versus 3.9 +/- 0.65 ms) and a quick restoration of their amplitude after preceding simple spikes (in the mean, 2.83 +/- 0.75 ms versus 11.0 +/- 2.82 ms); and (iii) a more pronounced rebound in the auto-correlation histogram of simple spikes (3.09 +/- 2.12 versus 1.45 +/- 0.36) and a short-latency excitation of simple spikes after complex spikes (2.81 +/- 1.64 versus 1.26 +/- 0.52). A decrease of interspike intervals in simple spike activity of all Purkinje cells was revealed (5.25 +/- 2.71 ms versus 9.71 +/- 3.48 ms in activity fragments without complex spikes). It is supposed that the properties of complex spikes depend on the type of Purkinje cells and may be one of the basic factors determining the interactions between the inputs of climbing and parallel fibers in Purkinje cells.     

猫体感皮层神经元对同时刺激隐神经的A类和C类纤维的反应型式

记录了麻痹猫的体感皮层(SI)神经元的自发和隐神经的A类和C类纤维传入诱发放电(A-ED和C-ED)。用NCCVF分析神经元放电。结果表明,SI区神经元对同时刺激隐神经的A类和C类纤维的反应呈多种型式:(1)A-ED和C-ED共存,包括Ⅰ.A-ED和C-ED始终相互伴随出现;Ⅱ.在刺激之初,只出现A-ED,但是,当阻断A类纤维传入并由C类纤维传入诱发神经元放电后,再同时刺激A类和C类纤维时,A-ED和C-ED便同时出现。(2)A-ED制约C-ED,特点是,只要A-ED存在,C/ED就不出现。只有阻断A类纤维传入后,C-ED才产生。(3)单一A-ED,不管在什么刺激条件下,这类神经元都只有A-ED,而不产生C-ED 结论:根据反应型式的不同,可将SI区的神经元分为Ⅰ.A类和C类纤维传入同时驱动的神经元;Ⅱ.A-ED制约C-ED的神经元;Ⅲ.只由A类纤维传入驱动的神经元。     

Excitatory convergence of periaqueductal gray and somatic afferents in the solitary tract nucleus: role for neurokinin 1 receptors

Our previous studies (Boscan P, Kasparov S, and Paton JF. Eur J Neurosci 16: 907-920, 2002) showed that activation of somatic afferents attenuated the baroreceptor reflex via neurokinin type 1 (NK(1)) and GABA(A) receptors within the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). The periaqueductal gray matter (PAG) can also depress baroreceptor reflex function and project to the NTS. In the present study, we have tested the possibility that the dorsolateral (dl)-PAG projects to the NTS neurons that also respond to somatic afferent input. In an in situ, arterially perfused, unanesthetized decerebrate rat preparation, somatic afferents (brachial plexus), cervical spinal cord, and dl-PAG were stimulated electrically, whereas NTS neurons were recorded extracellularly. From 45 NTS neurons excited by either brachial plexus or dl-PAG stimulation, 41 received convergence excitatory inputs from both afferents. Onset latency and evoked peak discharge frequency from brachial plexus afferents were 39.4 +/- 4.7 ms and 10.7 +/- 1.1 Hz, whereas this was 43.9 +/- 6.4 ms and 7.9 +/- 1 Hz, respectively, following dl-PAG stimulation. As revealed by using a paired pulse stimulation protocol, monosynaptic connections were found in 9 of 36 neurons tested from both spinal cord and dl-PAG. We tested NK(1)-receptor sensitivity in 38 neurons that received convergent inputs from brachial plexus/PAG. Fifteen neurons were sensitive to selective antagonism of NK(1) receptors. CP-99994, the NK(1) antagonist, failed to alter ongoing firing activity but reduced the evoked peak discharge frequency following stimulation of both brachial plexus (from 12.3 +/- 1.8 to 7.2 +/- 1.3 Hz; P < 0.01) and PAG (from 7.8 +/- 1.5 to 4.5 +/- 1 Hz; P < 0.01). We conclude that 1) somatic brachial and PAG afferents can converge onto single NTS neurons; 2) this convergence occurs via either direct or indirect pathways; and 3) NK(1) receptors are activated by some of these inputs.     

剌激中缝背核压抑大鼠小脑浦肯野细胞对苔状...

In anaesthetized and paralyzed rats, the effect of dorsal raphe (DR) conditioning stimulation on cerebellar Purkinje cell (PC) responses to mossy fiber and climbing fiber inputs were examined. The main results are as follows: (1) Stimulation of cerebral sensorimotor cortex elicits widespread activation of mossy and climbing fiber inputs to PCs in contralateral VI and VII lobules of the cerebellum and generates two kinds of evoked responses, i.e. the simple spike (SS) and the complex spike (CS) responses with respectively a latency 8-25 and 12-30 ms. (2) These PC responses could be markedly suppressed by stimulation of DR at intensities which by themselves were subthreshold for directly affecting PC's spontaneous SS and CS activities. (3) This DR-induced depressive effects on evoked PC's SS and CS excitations could be attenuated or blocked by systemic administration of 5-HT receptor blocker methysergide. These results demonstrate that serotonergic fiber input from DR can suppress the efficacy of mossy and climbing fiber synaptic action on PC, or decrease the responsiveness of PC itself to afferent synaptic action. The findings of this study also suggest that the raphe-cerebellar serotonergic fiber afferent system may be involved in some of the important neuronal processing in the cerebellum.     

Patterning of somatosympathetic reflexes reveals nonuniform organization of presympathetic drive from C1 and non-C1 RVLM neurons

To determine the organization of presympathetic vasomotor drive by phenotypic populations of rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) neurons, we examined the somatosympathetic reflex (SSR) evoked in four sympathetic nerves together with selective lesions of RVLM presympathetic neurons. Urethane-anesthetized (1.3 g/kg ip), paralyzed, vagotomized and artificially ventilated Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 41) were used. First, we determined the afferent inputs activated by sciatic nerve (SN) stimulation at graded stimulus intensities (50 sweeps at 0.5-1 Hz, 1-80 V). Second, we recorded sympathetic nerve responses (cervical, renal, splanchnic, and lumbar) to intensities of SN stimulation that activated A-fiber afferents (low) or both A- and C-fiber afferents (high). Third, with low-intensity SN stimulation, we examined the cervical SSR following RVLM microinjection of somatostatin, and we determined the splanchnic SSR in rats in which presympathetic C1 neurons were lesioned following intraspinal injections of anti-dopamine-β-hydroxylase-saporin (anti-DβH-SAP). Low-intensity SN stimulation activated A-fiber afferents and evoked biphasic responses in the renal, splanchnic, and lumbar nerves and a single peak in the cervical nerve. Depletion of presympathetic C1 neurons (59 ± 4% tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity profiles lesioned) eliminated peak 2 of the splanchnic SSR and attenuated peak 1, suggesting that only RVLM neurons with fast axonal conduction were spared. RVLM injections of somatostatin abolished the single early peak of cervical SSR confirming that RVLM neurons with fast axonal conduction were inhibited by somatostatin. It is concluded that unmyelinated RVLM presympathetic neurons, presumed to be all C1, innervate splanchnic, renal, and lumbar but not cervical sympathetic outflows, whereas myelinated C1 and non-C1 RVLM neurons innervate all sympathetic outflows examined. These findings suggest that multiple levels of neural control of vasomotor tone exist; myelinated populations may set baseline tone, while unmyelinated neurons may be recruited to provide actions at specific vascular beds in response to distinct stressors.     

Startle-evoked changes in diaphragmatic activity during wakefulness and sleep

Tonic inhibition of some respiratory muscles occurs as part of the generalized muscle atonia of rapid-eye-movement sleep (REMS). A second type of inhibition of the diaphragm during REMS, fractionations, consists of brief pauses in the diaphragmatic electromyogram (DIA EMG) in association with phasic events. Because motor inhibition can occur as part of the startle response, and the brain is highly activated during REMS, we hypothesized that the neural basis of the fractionations might be activation of a startle network. To test this hypothesis, tone bursts (100 dB, 20-ms duration at 15-s intervals) were applied to cats at a fixed inspiratory level in the DIA moving average during REMS, non-rapid-eye-movement sleep (NREMS), and wakefulness. Parallel sham studies (no tone applied) were obtained for each state. The response of the DIA EMG was averaged over 100 ms by using the tone pulse as a trigger, and the following parameters of the DIA EMG were measured: latency to peak and/or nadir, increment or decrement in activity, and duration of peak and/or nadir. After a tone, all five animals studied displayed a profound suppression of DIA activity during REMS (latency to nadir 42.4 +/- 10.0 ms, duration of suppression 35.9 +/- 17.6 ms). Similarly, DIA activity was suppressed in all cats during NREMS (latency to nadir 40.9 +/- 13.3 ms, duration 23.9 +/- 13.4 ms). An excitatory response was observed in only two cats during NREMS and wakefulness. The similarity of startle-induced DIA EMG pauses to spontaneous fractionations of DIA activity during REMS suggests that the latter result from activation of a central startle system.     

新生大鼠离体脊髓薄片侧角中间外侧核细胞的电生理特性

在新生大鼠离体脊髓薄片的中间外侧核作细胞内记录,研究细胞膜的静态与动态电生理特性。细胞的静息电位(RP)变动于-46—-70mV,膜的输入阻抗为108.3±67.9MΩ(X±SD,下同),时间常数9.9±5.6ms,膜电容138.6±124.2pF。用去极化电流进行细胞内刺激时,大部份细胞(85.4％)能产生高频率连续发放,其余细胞(15.6％)仅产生初始单个发放。胞内直接刺激引起的动作电位(AP)幅度为63.4±9.0mV,时程2.4±0.6ms,阈电位水平在RP基础上去极18.7±6.2mV。大部份细胞的锋电位后存在明显的超极化后电位,其幅度为5.1±2.7mV、持续90±31.8ms。刺激背根可在记录细胞引起EPSP或顺向AP,少数细胞尚出现IPSP。而刺激腹根则可引起逆向AP。     

Physiological properties of sympathetic preganglionic neurones in the thoracic intermediolateral nucleus of the cat

Extracellular spikes were recorded from cell bodies of sympathetic preganglionic neurones in spinal segments T1-T3 of the cat. Each neurone was identified by its antidromic response to electrical stimulation of the sympathetic chain and was found in histological sections to lie within the intermediolateral nucleus. Physiological properties studied in detail included basal activity, spike configuration, and latency of antidromic activation. Also studied, in tests with paired stimuli, were the threshold interstimulus interval evoking two responses, as well as changes in amplitude and latency of the second spike which occurred at intervals near this threshold. Approximately 60% of the units studied were spontaneously active, the rest were silent. Spontaneous activity was characterized by a slow (mean = 3.1 +/- 2.6 (SD) spikes/s), irregular pattern of discharge. With approximately one-third of the cases there was a periodic pattern of discharge in phase with oscillations in blood pressure. This correlation of phasic activity suggests that many of the units studied were involved specifically in cardiovascular function. Silent and spontaneously active units could not be differentiated on the basis of latency of antidromic activation or threshold interstimulus interval; mean latency for the two groups was 7.2 +/- 4.9 ms, mean threshold interval was 6.4 +/- 4.7 ms. Thus, with the exception of basal activity, the physiological properties studied failed to indicate more than a single population of neurones. These results therefore suggest that the sympathetic preganglionic neurones in the intermediolateral nucleus subserving varied autonomic functions share overlapping physiological properties, and that functional differentiation of these neurones may be based on differences in synaptic inputs.