Participation of the thalamic reticular nucleus in the shaping of the interrelations of the mesencephalic reticular formation and the lateral geniculate body

On the awake rabbits and cats under nembutal anesthesia it has been shown that the reticular nucleus of the thalamus takes considerable part in the formation of reticulogeniculate response of the lateral geniculate body (LGB) to electrostimulation of the mesencephalic reticular formation. It is assumed that the reticular nucleus of the thalamus takes basic part in a realization of "rapid" physical influences of the reticular formation on the LGB.     

Effect of deafferentation of the lateral geniculate body on its background activity

Elimination of reticular inputs to the lateral geniculate body (LGB) by sectioning of one half of the midbrain operculum, did not affect significantly the characteristics of the LGB evoked potential to light stimulus. At the same time LGB response to stimulation of the reticular formation by a single current impulse, though did not disappear completely, but changed greatly: its latency became twice as long, the negative component of the response was no more recorded. In conditions of LGB deafferentation, the characteristics of all rhythms of its electrical activity, besides the alpha-like one, considerably changed. At the same time, exactly this last rhythm underwent the greatest changes on the EEG of the visual cortex. On the basis of the obtained data it is suggested that the reticular formation takes a considerable and multiple part in generation of LGB rhythmic activity and that changes in its characteristics are clearly reflected in the ECoG rhythms formation. Retention of the LGB visual evoked potential and of the response to stimulation of the reticular formation after the section of one half of the midbrain operculum testifies to the presence of several reticular inputs to LGB.     

Unit activity of the reticular and relay nuclei of the cat thalamus

Relations between neurons of the reticular and specific relay nuclei of the thalamus were studied in cats immobilized with tubocurarine. Under the influence of stimulation of the reticular nucleus (RN) unit activity in the thalamic relay nuclei was found to be considerably modulated. Cases of the appearance of IPSPs (possibly of monosynaptic nature), evoked by stimulation of RN, in neurons of the ventroposterolateral nucleus (VPLN) and lateral geniculate body (LGB) are described. During simultaneous recording of unit activity in RN and VPLN or LGB by means of two electrodes interaction of several types was found: inhibition of discharges of VPLN or LGB neurons accompanied by excitation of RN neurons: alternation of excitation-inhibition in neuron pairs in RN and VPLN or RN and LGB during low-frequency afferent or cortical stimulation (in this case excitation of RN neurons is associated with inhibition of VPLN or LGB neurons), and strengthening of the discharge of VPLN or LGB neurons during excitation of RN neurons. The possibility of the existence both of direct monosynaptic inhibition of activity of VPLN or LGB relay neurons under the influence of excitation of RN neurons and of their inhibition by activation of hypothetical interneurons of the relay nuclei themselves is accepted.I. S. Beritashvili Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Georgian SSR, Tbilisi. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 24–31, January–February, 1981.     

Changes in the evoked potentials in the visual and association cortex of the alert cat after changing the order of stimulation of the lateral geniculate body and superior colliculi

In chronic experiments on alert cats the preceding stimulation of the lateral geniculate body (LGB) facilitates the response in the visual cortex to testing stimulation of the anterior colliculi (AC) at all studied delays between stimuli in contrast to the associative cortex where this response has been depressed in intervals of 10-40 ms. In reverse order of stimulation, facilitation of response to testing LGB stimulation is observed at all studied delays in the associative cortex, while in the visual cortex this response is slightly depressed. The obtained data point to the importance of the information coming in the accessory zones of LGB and AC projections and to different informational value of AC inputs to the associative and visual cortices and reciprocal relations between inputs to these cortical areas from LGB and AC.     

刺激家兔杏仁基底核对外膝体“ON”神经元感受野反应特性的影响

利用细胞外记录,在乌拉坦麻醉和三碘委按酚麻痹的３７只新西兰兔上,考察刺激杏仁基底核对外膝体神经元感受野反应特性的影响。实验观察到,在１１７个具有“ＯＮ”反应外膝体神经元中,４７个单位在电刺激杏仁基底核时不同程度地受到抑制或易化性影响,即细胞反应强度和／或感受野范围均有改变。产生这些影响的潜伏期为７－４１ｍｓ,最大时程约２８ｍｓ。撤除电刺激３ｍｉｎ后,感受野反应特性即告恢复。单独刺激杏仁核不能引起外     

Effect of electric stimulation of non-specific and specific thalamic nuclei on the spatial synchronization of cortical potentials in the rabbit

The effect of low-frequency (1-10 Hz) electrical stimulation of nonspecific n. centralis lateralis and n. centrum medianum and specific thalamic (LGB) nuclei on spatial synchronization of biopotentials of neocortical areas and on the process of learning was studied on rabbits. Electrical stimulation of the non-specific nuclei raised the level of correlation of the cortical potentials, while the LGB stimulation, on the contrary, weakened the spatial synchronization between the potentials of the visual and sensorimotor neocortical areas. On the basis of the obtained data a conclusion is made that stimulation of the non-specific thalamus contributes to a more successful formation of defensive conditioned reflex to light unlike LGB stimulation. It is suggested that a certain specificity of the studied subcortical formations in organization of spatial synchronization of the brain biopotentials and in the process of learning is due to morpho-functional peculiarities of these structures.     

Correlation between different forms of trace phenomena in the activity of rabbit visual cortex neurons]

Plastic changes in the components of the unit responses in the rabbit visual cortex (VC) in the course of electrical stimulation (with different parameters) of the lateral geniculate body (LGB) were compared with the capacity of the same units for trace driving to the LGB preceding stimulation. Potentiation of inhibition (inhibitory pauses) in reponse to electrical LGB stimulation is the main plastic phenomenon in the activity of VC units. Trace driving is characteristic predominantly of units with enhanced plasticity of the excitatory sign, a tendency toward epileptiform activity after LGB tetanization. In most cases inhibitory reaction is expressed in weakening of the periodic component of neuronal activity corresponding to the frequency of stimulation. The level of trace suppression of periodicity positively correlates with potentiation of the inhibitory pause during prolonged LGB stimulation.     

Conditioned reflex changes in the intra-analyzer interaction of the afferent inputs from the lateral geniculate body and pulvinar thalami in the cerebral cortex of cats

Paired heterogeneous stimulation of the lateral geniculate body (LGB) and pulvinar (Pulv) as a conditioned stimulus of alimentary instrumental conditioned reflex (CR), resulted in a change of relations between afferent inputs from LGB and Pulv to the visual and associative cortex of cats. At stimulation of LGB preceding by 40 ms, facilitation of the response to testing Pulv stimulation observed in untrained cats, appeared only at the beginning of the learning and was suppressed by the end of elaboration, when the amplitude of the response to the conditioning LGB stimulation greatly increased. In the process of CR elaboration (in the middle of learning), Pulv stimulation preceding by 40 ms facilitated the response to the testing LGB stimulation and simultaneously increased the amplitude of the response to the conditioning Pulv stimulation.     

Monomodal convergence in the visual system of the alert cat

In chronic experiments on waking cats, the interaction between signals evoked by simultaneous stimulation of the lateral geniculate body (LGB) and pulvinar was mainly of occlusive type which was more pronounced in the visual than in the associative cortical area. Conditioning stimulation of LGB depressed the response to testing stimulation of the pulvinar at delays of 10 ms. Delays of 20-60 ms facilitated the response. At short delays between the stimuli, the conditioning pulvinar stimulation either did not change significantly the response to testing LGB stimulation or facilitated it. At long (80-200 ms) delays the same conditioning stimulation produced a depression of the response to the testing stimulation. The results obtained point to monomodal convergence in the system of the cat visual analyzer and also to a relative autonomy and predominance of the cortical input from LGB and to dependence of pulvinar input functioning on the degree of activation of the geniculo-cortical path.     

Effect of prednisolone on the intensity of nucleic acid synthesis by granulation tissue fibroblasts

An experimental study was made of the effect exerted by prednisolone in a dose of 4 mg/kg body weight on wound healing. It was shown that prednisolone reduces the period of inflammation, accelerates the formation of granulation tissue and epidermis. All these effects are accompanied by diminution of the mitotic activity of fibroblasts and dramatic increase in the intensity of RNA synthesis in them. Dislocation of newly synthetized RNA from the nucleus to the cytoplasm proceeds at a greater rate as compared to control. The differentiation of fibroblasts is accelerated.     

CCK inhibits the orexigenic effect of peripheral ghrelin

CCK and ghrelin exert antagonistic effects on ingestive behavior. The aim of the present study was to investigate the interaction between ghrelin and CCK administered peripherally on food intake and neuronal activity in specific hypothalamic and brain stem nuclei, as assessed by c-Fos-like immunoreactivity (c-FLI) in nonfasted rats. Ghrelin (13 microg/kg body wt) injected intraperitoneally significantly increased the cumulative food intake when measured at 30 min and 1 h after injection, compared with the vehicle group (2.9 +/- 1.0 g/kg body wt vs. 1.2 +/- 0.5 g/kg body wt, P < 0.028). Sulfated CCK octapeptide (CCK-8S) (2 or 25 microg/kg body wt) injected simultaneously blocked the orexigenic effect of ghrelin (0.22 +/- 0.13 g/kg body wt, P < 0.001 and 0.33 +/- 0.23 g/kg body wt, P < 0.0008), while injected alone, both doses of CCK-8S exerted a nonsignificant trend to reduce food intake. Ghrelin (13 microg/kg body wt ip) markedly increased the number of c-FLI-positive neurons per section in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) compared with vehicle (median: 31.35 vs. 9.86, P < 0.0001). CCK-8S (2 or 25 microg/kg body wt ip) had no effect on neuronal activity in the ARC, as assessed by c-FLI (median: 5.33 and 11.21 cells per section), but blocked the ghrelin-induced increase of c-fos expression in this area when both peptides were administered simultaneously (median: 13.33 and 12.86 cells per section, respectively). Ghrelin at this dose had no effect on CCK-induced stimulation of c-fos expression in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and the nucleus of the solitary tract. These results suggest that CCK abolishes ghrelin-induced food intake through dampening increased ARC neuronal activity.     

Photogenic epilepsy with localization of the generator of excitation in the lateral geniculate body (the phenomenon of a determining dispatch station)]

The photogenic seizure syndrome was produced in experiments on rats and cats by injection of purified tetanus toxin into the lateral geniculate body (LGB). The seizures followed light stimulus or arose spontaneously. At the intervals between the attacks every light stimulus provoked a specific photojerk. Disturbance of the inhibitory mechanisms by tetanus toxin proved to result in a rise in the LGB of a generator of pathologically enhanced excitation underlying the hyperactive determinative dispatch station causing the described photogenic epilepsy.     

Morphological and physiological study of afferent projections of the posterolateral thalamic nucleus in rats

It was shown by the method of retrograde axonal transport of horseradish peroxidase that the posterolateral thalamic nucleus (NPL) in rats receives considerable ascending projections from the superior colliculus (SC), the dorsal part of the lateral geniculate body (LGB), and the pretectal region (PT) and smaller projections from n. ventralis posterior (VP) and n. ventralis lateralis (VL) of the thalamus, the ventral part of LGB, the zona incerta, and anterior hypothalamus. The most marked descending projections run into NPL from area 18A of the cortex and the dentate fascia of the hippocampus, whereas inputs from cortical areas 18, 20, 7, 29c, 17, and 36 are less marked. In electrophysiological experiments with peripheral stimulation of visual, auditory, and somatosensory systems, polysensory convergence and interaction between signals from these systems were studied during isolated and simultaneous presentation of heterosensory stimuli. Of 229 neurons tested, 134 (58.5%) responded to at least one of the stimuli mentioned. Among monomodal neurons (53 of 134) there were some cells which responded to visual (77.4%) and somatic (22.6%) stimulation; neurons which responded only to acoustic stimulation were not found in the nucleus. As far as polymodal neurons (81 of 134) responding to two or three sensory stimuli are concerned, the most effective inputs of these units were visual and somatosensory. Interaction between stimuli acting on polymodal neurons was expressed as mutual inhibition or facilitation of responses; opposite effects could be observed on the various components of these responses.I. M. Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 168–176, March–April, 1984.     

Evaluation of some plant products for the management of Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) in stored maize (Zea mays) and their effect on nutritional composition of the kernels

The bioactivity of powder from the leaves of Aristolochia ringens, Dalbergia saxatilis, Dioclea reflexa, Ocimum gratissimum, Chrysophyllum albidum, Moringa oleifera, Citrus limon and Newbouldia laevis was tested against the larger grain borer (LGB) in maize kernels and the effect of the powder on the nutritional composition of the kernels was determined. A total of 72 glass bottles containing 100?g maize kernels was divided into four groups. In the first group of 32 glass bottles, 5?g powder of the experimental plants was admixed uniformly with the kernels (5%?w/w). Ten 1–5-day-old LGB adults were introduced into each of the glass bottles. A second group of 32 glass bottles contains 100?g maize kernels admixed with the plant powder as described above, but LGB were not added. In the third group of four glass bottles, 100?g maize kernels received insects only, while in the fourth group of four glass bottles 100?g maize kernels were neither mixed with plant products nor infested with LGB. The treatments were arranged on worktables using completely randomised design and left for three months. The plant products-treated samples (insect free) were passed through a 30?mesh sieve to sieve out the powder and the clean kernels were analysed for proximate composition. The untreated maize kernel had a significantly (p?<?0.05) higher % of grain weight loss (17.33), grain damage % (70.96), number (122.0) of adult LGB, weight (14.46?g) of grain dust and lower % of grain germination. The adsorption and absorption of some of the plant powder by the kernels had significant effect on the kernel composition of protein, fibre and carbohydrate, but not on moisture, dry matter and fat and ash content. Control of LGB with the powder of the test plants could be used as green insecticide for the management of LGB.     

Motor alimentary conditioned reflexes and delayed reactions in dogs following destruction of the caudate nucleus]

The characteristics of formation and achievement of motor conditioned reactions were studied in seventeen dogs before and after the lesion of head or body of the caudate nucleus. It has been shown that the degree of higher nervous activity disturbances depends on the localization of injuries in the nucleus, and on the complexity of the tests used. The caudate nucleus exerts a modulating effect on the parameters of motor conditioned reflexes and takes a direct part in the structure of delayed reflexes. Lesion of the caudate nucleus body is attended with more serious disturbances of higher nervous activity than lesion of its head.     

苜蓿假盘菌子囊孢子萌发特性及子实体超微结构观察

【背景】苜蓿假盘菌(Pseudopeziza medicaginis)侵染苜蓿叶片引起的褐斑病是苜蓿的重要病害之一。研究表明,该菌以子囊盘越冬,翌年释放子囊孢子完成初侵染,因此观察该菌子实体的超微结构特征,有利于进一步揭示子囊菌的侵染机制。【目的】明确P. medicaginis子囊孢子萌发、Ca²⁺信号途径是否参与调控附着胞形成;观察子囊孢子和子实体的超微结构特征。【方法】采用光学显微镜技术,研究不同碳、氮源和Ca²⁺/CaM信号途径对P. medicaginis子囊孢子萌发、附着胞形成的影响,并采用电镜技术观察子实体和子囊孢子的超微结构。【结果】碳、氮源有利于P. medicaginis子囊孢子的萌发,葡萄糖、麦芽糖、蔗糖、氨基乙酸、酵母粉、尿素、蛋白胨、硝酸铵、硝酸钠等碳、氮源诱导形成附着胞,以尿素诱导效果最明显;Ca²⁺不仅促进子囊孢子的萌发,显著诱导附着胞的形成,而且高于碳、氮源;10mmol/L的Ca²⁺诱导效果最明显,随其浓度的增加,子囊孢子的萌发率和附着胞的形成率下降;低浓度Ca     

Effects of morphine on visual evoked responses recorded in five brain sites.

The effects of morphine on averaged evoked responses to visual stimulation were examined in specific brain structures relevant to pain, analgesia, tolerance and motor disturbances. Permanent electrodes (60 μ in diameter) were implanted stereotaxically in the central gray, mesencephalic reticular formation, caudate nucleus, parafasicular-centromedian complex and the lateral geniculate body as a control site. Visual evoked responses were obtained in unanesthetized, unrestrained rats prior to and following the administration of morphine in successive doses of 1, 5, 10 and 30 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg of naloxone (a morphine antagonist). The parafasicular-centromedian complex and the reticular formation exibited a progressive increase in response amplitude to increased dose of morphine. These effects were reversed by naloxone. In this study the parafasicular-centromedian complex was found to be the most sensitive structure to morphine, displaying the largest changes in response amplitude as a result of morphine administration.     

Effects of long-term cortisol treatments on gonadal development, sex steroids levels and ovarian cortisol content in cultured great sturgeon Huso huso

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of cortisol implantations on gonadal development, sex steroid levels, and ovarian cortisol content in cultured great sturgeon Huso huso. Three groups of 5 fish for each treatment were considered. The experimental groups included: control (capsules containing cocoa butter alone), low cortisol (C(5); 5mg cortisol/kg body mass+cocoa butter) and, high cortisol (C(50); 50mg cortisol/kg body mass+cocoa butter). The capsules containing hormones and cocoa butter were intraperitoneally implanted into 3-year-old female fish at pre-vitellogenic stage (mean initial body mass 6809.7 ± 73 g) every 6 weeks over a 6-month period from January to June. The serum levels of cortisol, glucose, cholesterol and sex steroids (testosterone and 17β-estradiol) were determined at the initial time and three weeks after each implantation. Oocyte histological characteristics (the diameter and area of the oocyte, the diameter and area of the nucleus and the ratio of the nucleus area to the oocyte area) were measured at the end of the experiment and compared to those at the initial time. Ovarian cortisol content was measured at the end of the experiment. The results showed that serum cortisol levels varied in a dose-independent manner, so that the highest cortisol concentrations were observed in C(5)-treated fish throughout the experiment. Serum glucose levels were significantly higher in cortisol-treated groups than those in the control group. The high dose of cortisol elicited a significant constant increase in serum cholesterol concentrations. Fish implanted with the high cortisol dose showed significant declines in serum testosterone and 17β-estradiol concentrations throughout the experiment. No significant differences were found in oocyte histological characteristics among experimental groups. The cortisol implants elicited a dose-dependent increase in ovarian cortisol content. At the end of trial, body-growth indices were the lowest in C(50)-implanted fish, while the low cortisol dose had no effect on growth relative to the controls. These results indicated that chronic stress induced by cortisol implantation in great sturgeon suppressed gonadal steroidogenesis and somatic growth but had no effect on ovarian growth and development.     

黑脊倒刺Ba生精细胞拟染色体的形成过程

用电子显微镜观察了黑脊倒刺Ba生精细胞中拟染色体的形成过程。拟染色体在初级精原细胞中形成。在初级精原细胞的细胞核中,拟染色体前体物质先附着于核膜内侧,该处核膜崩溃。并在拟染色体前体物质的内侧,新核膜形成。新核膜将拟染色体前体物质分隔出细胞核之外。新核膜呈凹陷状。拟染色体前体物质集中于该凹陷中,并聚集成拟染色体。新核膜上有较大的空隙。核内还有少量拟染色体前体物质通过该空隙进入核表面的凹陷中,并结合到拟染色体上。黑脊倒刺Ba生精细胞拟染色 体的形成方式与通常认为的核内物质通过核孔排出核外的方式不同,似可表明核内物质向外运输存在着另一种机制。拟染色体形成后不久就与线粒体结合,并离开核凹。在以后的发育过程中,拟染色体又与线粒体分离。     

Effects of chronic antidepressant treatment on nigrostriatal and mesolimbic dopamine autoreceptors in the rat

Dopamine autoreceptors were studied by determining the effects of chronic antidepressant treatment on the ability of several doses of apomorphine to decrease 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine accumulation (an index of dopamine synthesis in vivo) after saline or γ-hydroxybutyric acid lactone (γ-butyrolactone). 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylalanine accumulation was measured in nigrostriatal [nucleus caudatus putamen] and mesolimbic [nucleus accumbens and tuberculum olfactorium] nerve terminals. Apomorphine decreased 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine accumulation in the nucleus caudatus putamen, tuberculum olfactorium and nucleus accumbens in a dose-related manner. Chronic imipramine (10 days) treatment attenuated the low and high dose apomorphine-induced decrease in 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine accumulation in the nucleus caudatus putamen to a greater extent than the tuberculum olfactorium or nucleus accumbens. In γ-butyrolactone-treated animals chronic treatment with imipramine, amitriptyline or bupropion (10 days) attenuated the low dose apomorphine effect in the nucleus caudatus putamen, but not the tuberculum olfactorium or nucleus accumbens. Only 2 days of imipramine treatment had no effect on the apomorphine-induced decrease in 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine accumulation in the nucleus caudatus putamen with or without γ-butyrolactone treatment. These data suggest that chronic treatment with three antidepressants produces dopamine autoreceptor subsensitivity in nigrostriatal neurons more than mesolimbic neurons and that this effect is not seen with short-term imipramine treatment.