Background activity of neurons of the supraoptic hypothalamic nucleus in rats under conditions of vibrational stimulation and electromagnetic extrahigh-frequency irradiation

We analyzed background impulse activity of neurons of the supraoptic nucleus of the rat hypothalamus in the course of 15-day-long isolated action of generalized vibrational stimulation and combination of such stimulation with irradiation of the animal’s head with low-intensity extrahigh-frequency (EHF, millimeter-range) electromagmetic waves. The distributions of the neurons by the level of regularity and dynamics of spike trains, separate frequency ranges of impulsation, and pattern of interspike interval (ISI) histograms were estimated. We also calculated the mean frequency of discharges and coefficient of variation of ISIs. A trend toward decreases in the deviations of some parameters of neuronal spike activity generated by supraoptic neurons, which were evident within early time intervals of isolated action of vibration (5 to 10 days), was observed under the influence of EHF electromagnetic irradiation; thus, the latter factor probably exerts a sedative effect. Neirofiziologiya/Neurophysiology, Vol. 39, No. 6, pp. 433–442, November–December, 2007.     

Dynamics of the background impulse activity of neurons of the lateral vestibular nucleus in the norm and under vibrational influence

The background impulse activity (BIA) generated by neurons of the right lateral vestibular nucleus (LVN) of rats in the norm and under conditions of long-lasting general vibrational stimulation was subjected to computer analysis. Statistically significant changes in intragroup values of the mean BIA frequency were observed after 5 and 10 days with 2-h-long sessions of vibrational stimulation. Significant shifts in the distributions of LVN neurons by the level of regularity and dynamic types of BIA were observed 10 and 15 days with vibrational influences. Trends toward return of the intragroup mean value of the BIA frequency to the initial level were noticeable at the end of the stimulation period (15 days). Neirofiziologiya/Neurophysiology, Vol. 37, Nos. 5/6, pp. 424–431, September–December, 2005.     

小脑顶核损毁对淋巴细胞功能的影响

目的：研究小脑顶核对淋巴细胞功能的调节作用,并初步探讨介导这种调节的中枢途径。方法：用海人酸（KA）毁损大鼠双侧小脑顶核,于术后第8d,取动物肠系膜淋巴结细胞和脾脏自然杀伤（NK）细胞进行体外培养,分别用四甲基偶氮唑（MTT）比色法检测由刀豆蛋白A（Con A）诱导的淋巴细胞的增殖反应,用流式细胞术测定NK细胞杀伤YAC-1肿瘤细胞的活性。同时用高效液相色谱法检测下丘脑中兴奋性神经递质谷氨酸的含量。结果：小脑双侧顶核注入KA后的第8d,小脑切片经Nissl染色,可见顶核内神经元胞体被有效破坏。此时,淋巴细胞对Con A诱导的增殖反应较双侧顶核注入生理盐水的对照组明显增强;而且NK细胞对YAC-1靶细胞的杀伤活性也明显高于对照组;同时下丘脑中谷氨酸含量较对照组明显减少。结论：小脑双侧顶核毁损可导致T和NK淋巴细胞功能明显增强,且下丘脑中谷氨酸含量显著下降,提示小脑顶核对淋巴细胞功能具有调节作用,小脑-下丘脑的谷氨酸能神经投射可能介导小脑顶核的免疫调节作用。     

Influences of cerebellar interpositus nucleus and fastigial nucleus on neuronal activity of lateral hypothalamic area

Stimulation of cerebellar interpositus nucleus and (astigial nucleus could influence the neuronal activi-ty of lateral hypothalamic area in the cat, and some of the neurons which respond to the cerebellar stimulations are glucose-sensitive neurons. These results suggest that the cerebellum is involved not only in motor control, but also in the regulation of non-somatic functions through the cerebello-hypothalamic pathways.     

Modifications of neuronal activity in the rat hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus after long-lasting vibrational stimulation

We analyzed the background impulse activity (BIA) generated by neurons of the rat hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus in the norm and under conditions of long-lasting vibrational stimulation (exposure 5, 10, or 15 days). Distributions of neurons by the level of regularity, dynamics of discharge trains, form of histograms of interspike intervals (ISIs), as well as distributions of neurons by the BIA frequency ranges, were studied. We also calculated the mean frequency of impulsation of the neurons under study and the coefficient of variation of ISIs. After vibrational influences, we found modifications of both the internal structure of the recorded spike trains and the mean frequency of impulsation within the entire studied group and different frequency subgroups. Neirofiziologiya/Neurophysiology, Vol. 38, No. 3, pp. 224–230, May–June, 2006.     

Background impulse activity of neurons of the fastigial nucleus in the rat cerebellum

Background impulse activity (BIA) of neuronal elements of the fastigial nucleus (FN) of rat cerebellum were investigated for the first time with the aid of various methods of statistical analysis. A clear predominance of stationary impulse flows (IFs) was discovered, along with irregularities in such flows, variously expressed and including a significant number of realizations of a regular component of impulse activity. Nonstationary IFs constituted a special variety of BIA; they were found in 15% of the total number of neurons investigated. Serial correlation analysis of the durations of interspike intervals (ISIs), both of stationary and nonstationary IFs, allowed us to identify six main varieties of ISI dynamics in the BIA of neurons of the fastigial nucleus. The patterns of recorded IFs and variations in IFs can serve as an adequate indices of the state of cellular activity during intracellular recording from cells of the central nervous system.L. A. Orbeli Institute of Physiology, Armenian Academy of Sciences, Yerevan. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 23, No. 4, pp. 441–450, July–August, 1991.     

Electrical stimulation of cerebellar fastigial nucleus protects rat brain, in vitro, from staurosporine-induced apoptosis

Electrical stimulation of the cerebellar fastigial nucleus (FN) elicits a prolonged ( approximately 10 days) and substantial (50-80%) protection against ischemic and excitotoxic injuries. The mechanism(s) of protection are unknown. We investigated whether FN stimulation directly protects brain cells against apoptotic cell death in an in vitro rat brain slice culture model. Rats were electrically stimulated in FN or, as control, the cerebellar dentate nucleus (DN). Coronal slices through the forebrain were explanted, exposed to staurosporine, harvested, and analyzed for caspase-3 activity by a fluorescence assay. FN, but not DN, stimulation significantly reduced staurosporine-induced caspase-3 activity by 39 +/- 7% at 3 h, 31 +/- 3% at 6 h and 26 +/- 4% at 10 h of incubation. Immunocytochemistry revealed FN-specific reductions in activated caspase-3 mainly in glial-like cells throughout the forebrain. FN stimulation also results in a 56.5% reduction in cytochrome c release upon staurosporine incubation. We conclude that neuroprotection elicited from FN stimulation can directly modify the sensitivity of brain cells to apoptotic stimuli and thereby suppress staurosporine induced apoptosis in adult rat brain slices. This model indicates that neuroprotection can be studied in vitro and provides new insight into the potential role of glial cells in ischemic protection of neurons induced by FN stimulation.     

Background spike activity of cerebellar nucleus interpositus neurons in rats

Using computer analysis of the background spike activity recorded from cell units of the cerebellar nucleus interpositus, it was possible to distinguish several dynamic types and regularity gradings that specifically characterize these neurons, and to correlate these characteristics with the statistical parameters of their activity.Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 98–100, March–April, 1993.     

Asymmetry of Characteristics of the Background Activity of Neurons of the Medial Vestibular Nucleus in Rats After Long-Term Vibration

Using computer analysis, we compared characteristics of the impulse background activity (BA) generated by neurons in the right and left medial vestibular nuclei (MVN) of the rats under control conditions and on the 5th, 10th, and 15th day with everyday 2-h-long sessions of vibrational stimulation. In the control group, the BA frequency generated by left-side MVN neurons was, on average, higher than that in the right MVN (23.6 ± 1.5 and 16.6 ± 1.7 sec^-1, respectively); other main characteristics of the BA demonstrated no significant internuclear differences. Vibrational influences of different durations induced complex significant laterally specific modifications of the level of regularity and dynamic indices of BA generated by neurons of the right and left MVN, of proportions of the cells with different types of distribution of interspike intervals (ISI), and of coefficients of variations of ISI. The mean frequency of background spiking in the right MVN increased about twofold (to 31.6 ± 2.2 sec^-1) after 10 days with vibration sessions, but dropped on the 15th day to 20.6 ± 1.7 sec^-1. In the left MVN, the mean BA frequency monotonically decreased, to 11.6 ± 1.0 sec^-1 after 15 days with vibration sessions. Therefore, chronic vibrational stimulation results in differential shifts of the characteristics of the BA generated by neurons of two MVN and in the formation of a new significantly asymmetrical pattern of such activity. Possible reasons for lateral asymmetry of the impulsation of MVN neurons and modifications of this asymmetry after long-term vibrational influences are discussed. We suppose that such an asymmetry can be one of the factors responsible for the development of motor and autonomic manifestations of vibration-induced motion sickness.     

小脑-下丘脑投射在小脑顶核调节淋巴细胞数量与功能中的介导作用

目的:探讨小脑顶核对淋巴细胞功能的调节作用及其作用途径。方法:用海人酸(KA)损毁大鼠双侧小脑顶核,术后第8d用血细胞计数法和酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)分别检测动物外周血中淋巴细胞数和血清中抗绵羊红细胞(SRBC)特异性IgM抗体水平。用电损毁小脑上脚交叉中顶核投射至下丘脑的神经纤维,检测动物淋巴细胞数和抗SRBC特异性IgM抗体水平的变化。结果:KA注入双侧小脑顶核后第8d,在Nissl染色的小脑切片,呈现双侧顶核内神经元胞体破坏。作为对照,在生理盐水注入顶核的动物脑片上,可见正常的Nissl小体。小脑顶核损毁后第8d,动物外周血中淋巴细胞数占白细胞总数的百分比以及血清中抗SRBC特异性IgM抗体水平均明显高于顶核注射生理盐水的对照动物。电损毁小脑上脚交叉处顶核投射至下丘脑的神经纤维后第8d,外周血中淋巴细胞的百分比及抗SRBC特异性IgM抗体水平均明显高于假损毁小脑上脚交叉的对照动物。结论:小脑顶核的神经元胞体损毁导致淋巴细胞功能增强,小脑顶核投射至下丘脑的神经纤维损毁同样引起淋巴细胞功能增强,这些结果提示小脑顶核至下丘脑的神经投射参与介导小脑顶核对淋巴细胞功能的调节作用。     

Effect of Long-Lasting Vibration on the Impulse Activity of Neurons of the Inferior Vestibular Nucleus

We analyzed the impulse background activity (BA) of neurons of the inferior vestibular nucleus (IVN) of rats during exposure to long-lasting vibration (daily 2-h-long sessions). It was demonstrated that 5 days after the beginning of vibration stimulation, practically all main characteristics of the BA of IVN neurons changed significantly. In the studied neuronal group, 10 days after the vibration onset we observed an increase in the mean frequency of the BA and shifts in many statistical parameters of the BA, while after 15 days of vibration only significant modifications of dynamic characteristics of the BA of IVN neurons were manifested.Neirofiziologiya/Neurophysiology, Vol. 37, No. 1, pp. 32–38, January–February, 2005.     

Effects of acoustic and immobilization stress on background impulse activity of neurons of the central and lateral nuclei of the Amygdala

It was shown that acoustic and immobilization stresses (developed due to a 2.5-h-long session of intensive, 100 dB, acoustic influence and a 2-h-long session of soft fixation of the body and extremities, respectively) result in significant modifications of the characteristics of background impulse activity of neurons of the nuclei of the rat amygdalar complex. Modifications were greater in the lateral nucleus of the amygdala. Possible roles of some structures of the monoaminergic cerebral systems in acute stress-related transformations of the impulse activity generated by neurons of the amygdalar complex are discussed. Neirofiziologiya/Neurophysiology, Vol. 38, No. 2, pp. 131–139, March–April, 2006.     

Modifications of Neuronal Activity in the Medial Vestibular Nucleus during Long-Term Vibration

The impulse background activity (BA) of neurons of the rat medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) was subjected to computer analysis, and its modifications related to long-term vibration were studied. It was shown that following 5 days of 2-h-long vibration sessions, statistically significant changes in some basic characteristics of BA generated by MVN neurons were observed. More than a twofold increase in the mean BA frequency and substantial shifts practically of all statistical BA parameters were found after 10 days of vibration. Following a 15-day-long vibration, MVN neurons showed a clear-cut tendency to restore control values of the BA indices, which probably was related to adaptation processes.     

Mitochondria are involved in the neurogenic neuroprotection conferred by stimulation of cerebellar fastigial nucleus

Activation of neural pathways originating in the cerebellar fastigial nucleus (FN) protects the brain from the deleterious effects of cerebral ischemia and excitotoxicity, a phenomenon termed central neurogenic neuroprotection. The neuroprotection is, in part, mediated by suppression of apoptosis. We sought to determine whether FN stimulation exerts its anti-apoptotic effect through mitochondrial mechanisms. Mitochondria were isolated from the cerebral cortex of rats in which the FN was stimulated for 1 h (100 microA; 1 s on/1 s off), 72 h earlier. Stimulation of the dentate nucleus (DN), a brain region that does not confer neuroprotection, served as control. Mitochondria isolated from FN-stimulated rats exhibited a marked increase in their ability to sequester Ca2+ and an increased resistance to Ca2+-induced membrane depolarization and depression in respiration. FN stimulation also leads to reduction in the release in cytochrome c, induced either by Ca2+ or the mitochondrial toxin mastoparan. Furthermore, in brain slices, FN stimulation reduced the staurosporine-induced insertion of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax into the mitochondria, a critical step in the mitochondrial mechanisms of apoptosis. Collectively, these results provide evidence that FN stimulation protects the mitochondria from dysfunction induced by Ca2+ loading, and inhibits mitochondrial pathways initiating apoptosis. These mitochondrial mechanisms are likely to play a role in the neuroprotection exerted by FN stimulation.     

5-HT1B受体亚型对小脑顶核介导的运动行为的影响

目的：探讨5-羟色胺（5-HT）能神经系统在经小脑顶核介导的运动行为中的作用。方法：采用大鼠离体脑片膜片钳及大鼠走步机的行为学测试方法。结果：阻断5-HT_1B受体能够增强小脑顶核兴奋性突触传递,行为学试验中给予5-HT及5-HT_1B受体阻断剂SB224289,发现注射5-HT到小脑顶核后,大鼠在Rota-rod走步机上的持续时间显著延长,而给予其阻断剂SB224289后,能够反转此作用。结论：5-HT很可能通过5-HT_1B受体抑制顶核神经元的兴奋性突触传递从而调节小脑核团神经元环路的活动,继而影响小脑的最终输出,实现对小脑顶核介导的运动平衡和协调能力的调控。     

Structure of Neuronal Impulse Trains of the Rat Inferior Olive under Conditions of Long-Lasting Vibrational Influence

In acute experiments on albino rats anesthetized with Nembutal (40 mg/kg, i.p.), we recorded the background impulse activity (BIA) generated by neurons of the inferior olive in the norm and after 5-, 10-, and 15-daylong vibrational influence (60 Hz, 2 h, daily). We characterized the distributions of neurons according to the regularity of impulse successions, their dynamics, and pattern of histograms of interspike intervals (ISIs); we also calculated the mean frequency of impulsation and the coefficient of variation of ISIs. It was demonstrated that the most significant shifts of the characteristics of BIA generated by neurons of the inferior olive were formed within the first 10 days of the vibrational influence. These shifts were observed mainly in the mean discharge frequency (increased within the initial period) and, to a lesser extent, in the intrinsic structure of impulse trains. Such shifts in the background activity of the inferior olive caused by long-lasting vibrational influence result, perhaps, from intensification of the influences of excitatory cerebellar/mesodiencephalic inputs to olivary neurons within the early periods of action of the above factor and prevalence of GABAergic influences within the later periods. It seems possible that, under such conditions, the characteristics of electrical synapses of the olivary neurons are also subjected to modification. Neirofiziologiya/Neurophysiology, Vol. 40, No. 4, pp. 340–347, July–August, 2008.     

Effects of coagulation of thelocus coeruleus and pontine raphe nuclei on the background activity recorded from the rat cerebellar fastigial nucleus neurons

Simultaneous or separate coagulation of thelocus coeruleus (LC) and the pontine raphe nucleus (PRN) results in a significant increase of irregular-type background activity in the cerebellar fastigial nucleus neurons. There are also considerable changes in the dynamics of impulse sequences, in particular, the number of neurons with random interpulse intervals markedly increases. Destruction of theLC and/or PRN is followed by a marked drop in the mean frequency of discharges in the neurons of the fastigial nucleus.Neirofiziologiya/Neurophysiology, Vol. 26, No. 6, pp. 437–442, November–December, 1994.     

谷氨酸及NMDA受体拮抗剂MK-801对大鼠伏核痛兴奋神经元电活动的影响

本文研究了谷氨酸(glutamic acid,Glu)及其NMDA受体拮抗剂5-甲基二氢丙环庚烯亚胺马来酸(MK-801)对人鼠伏核(nucleus accumbens,NAc)痛兴奋神经元(pain-excitation neurons,PEN)痛诱发反应的影响。电刺激坐骨神经作为伤害性刺激,用玻璃微电极记录NAc的PEN放电,观察脑室内注射Glu和NAc内注射MK-801对大鼠NAc中PEN伤害性诱发活动的影响。结果显示,伤害性刺激可使NAc的PEN电活动增强;脑室内注射Glu(10nmol／10μl)可使NAc的PEN伤害性诱发放电频率增加;NAc内注射MK-801(1．0nmol／0．5μl)可阻断这种作用;MK-801本身也可部分抑制PEN伤害性诱发反应。上述结果表明,Glu对PEN伤害性反应的易化作用是通过NMDA受体介导的：Glu和NMDA受体参与NAc伤害性信息传递的调制。     

Effects of reserpine on dopamine metabolite in the nucleus accumbens and locomotor activity in freely moving rats

The effect of reserpine (2 mg/kg i.p.) on both locomotor activity and the turnover of dopamine metabolite in the rat nucleus accumbens was estimated by using an activity monitor (Animex) and by in vivo brain microdialysis. Three to five hours after reserpine administration locomotor activity was reduced and there was a concomitant increase in the level of the dopamine metabolite, homovamillic acid. These findings suggest that depletion of dopamine from the nucleus accumbens may result in decreased locomotor activity. The data support the notion that dopamine in this tissue contributes to the control of locomotion.