Auditory units in the medulla of the marsh frog with unusual patterns of spontaneous activity

Statistical properties of spontaneous firing were studied in 79 single auditory units located in the dorsal medullar (cochlear) nucleus of unanaesthetized curarized marsh frogs (Rana ridibunda). The great majority of these units showed irregular spontaneous activity with mean rates in the range 1–30 spikes · s^–1. In 53% of the cells the auto-renewal functions of the spontaneous activity monotonically rose to an asymptotic value, but 41% of the cells produced auto-renewal functions which showed a pronounced peak after a dead-time period. Five low-frequency auditory neurons revealed periodic firing in the absence of controlled stimuli. The preferred period did not correspond to the unit's best frequency but demonstrated a modest correlation with the best modulation frequency of the unit's response to amplitude-modulated tones and with the duration of the after-onset dip in peri-stimulus time histograms.Abbreviations AM amplitude modulation - ARF auto-renewal function - DMN dorsal medullar nucleus - PST peristimulus time - SA spontaneous activity - TID time interval distribution - RMG response modulation gain     

α2 and β-adrenergic stimulation of corticosterone secretion in rats

Bilateral injection of 6-hydroxydopamine into the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) significantly decreased monoamine concentrations in the hypothalamus. The noradrenaline and serotonin content of the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) was also significantly reduced. These drastic decreases in neurotransmitter concentration did not alter basal secretion of corticosterone. Isoproterenol. a -adrenoceptor agonist (1 mg/kg, i.p.), significantly stimulated corticosterone release in saline and MFB lesioned rats. This stimulation did not differ significantly between the two groups. Clonidine, an ₂-adreceptor agonist, injected either intraperitoneally or intracerebrally just dorsal to the PVN, caused a dose-dependent increase in corticosterone secretion. The stimulation of corticosterone release by clonidine (250 g/kg, i.p.) was antagonised by the selective ₂-adreceptors antagonist, yohimbine (1 mg/kg, i.p.) and significantly reduced by the MFB lesion. These results suggest that corticosterone secretion is stimulated by activation of ₂-adreceptors which occur on noradrenergic nerve terminals in the PVN.     

Lack of interaction between α2 and dopamine D2-receptors in mediating their inhibitory effects on [3H]dopamine release from rat nucleus accumbens slices

The ₂-adrenoceptor agonist, UK14304, dose-dependently inhibited the electrically stimulated release of dopamine (DA) from rat nucleus accumbens slices. This effect was antagonized by idazoxan, confirming that it was an ₂-adrenoceptor mediated effect. There was no evidence of endogenous activation of noradrenergic receptors suggesting that the ₂-adrenoceptor agonist was not acting presynaptically to inhibit noradrenaline release. An in vitro superfusion technique was used to investigate wheher there was any interaction between ₂-adrenoceptors and DA D₂-receptors in mediating their inhibitory effects on [³H]DA release from rat nucleus accumbens slices. ₂-Adrenoceptor and DA D₂-receptors interact with similar second messenger systems and it was considered that they may compete for a common pool of G-proteins. The inhibitory effects of the ₂-adrenoceptor agonist, UK14304, and the DA receptor agonists, quinpirole, apomorphine and pergolide were not independent. However, there was no evidence of any interaction between UK14304 and the DA D₂-receptor antagonists, sulpiride or haloperidol, suggesting that the two receptors do not compete for a common pool of G-proteins in mediating their inhibitory effects on DA release.     

兔杏仁中央核中心区微量注射吗啡,纳洛酮对膈神经放电的影响

实验在24只家兔身上观察了微量注射吗啡、纳洛酮于杏仁中央核(ACE)中心区对膈神经放电的影响,同时监测动脉血压,主要结果如下:(1)ACE中心区微量注射m吗啡,不同动物出现两种不同的呼吸效应,一为吸气时程延长,膈神经放电积分幅值升高;二为膈神经放电积分幅值下降,呼吸时程无明显变化。(2)ACE中心区微量注射纳洛酮,呼吸频率增加,积分幅值升高,吸气时程缩短。(3)预先注射纳洛酮,可阻断吗啡在ACE中心区的吸气延长效应,而对其它的呼吸指标不产生影响。提示:ACE神经元上可能存在有内源性吗啡受体,内源性吗啡通过其受体可对呼吸产生影响。     

Lack of effect of oxytocin on the numbers of “synaptic” ribbons,cyclic guanosine monophosphate and serotonin N-acetyltransferase activity in organ-cultured pineals of three strains of rats

In addition to the stimulating influence of the sympathetic system on the function of the mammalian pineal gland, neuropeptides such as neuropeptide Y, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and arginine-vasopressin (AVP) are thought to function as modulators. Since AVP has been shown to influence pineal melatonin synthesis, the aim of the present study was to investigate the possible effects of the second hypothalamic nonapeptide oxytocin (OT), which likewise has been detected in the pineal gland. We therefore studied synaptic ribbon (SR) numbers, N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity and the intracellular concentration of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) following in vitro incubation of rat pineals in media containing OT (10^-5 M), noradrenaline (NA, 10^-5 M) or both NA and OT. Pineal glands were derived from rats of three different strains (Sprague-Dawley, Long-Evans and the AVP-deficient strain Brattleboro). Neither morphological nor biochemical analyses showed a difference between control and OT-incubated organs in any of the strains tested. In Brattleboro rats, but not in the other strains, noradrenaline slightly increased the number of SR which was not observed when NA and OT were combined. The addition of NA resulted in distinct augmentation of NAT activity and cGMP content, which were not affected by additional OT application. These results suggest that oxytocin is not crucially involved in the regulation of pineal gland function.     

Ipsilateral retinopetal projection of the nucleus olfactoretinalis (NOR) during development and regeneration: A dil study in a cichlid fish

The development and regeneration of the ipsilateral retinopetal projection of the nucleus olfactoretinalis (NOR) in the cichlid fish Haplochromis burtoni was studied with 1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethyl indocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI) in fixed tissue. Through out development most NOR cells projected to the contralateral retina. Only an insignificant, transient elevation of a projection to the ipsilateral retinawas found in a few animals; however, after severing the contralateral processes of NOR cells by either enucleation or nerve crush, many animals had significantly more NOR cells with a regenerated process to the ipsilateral retina. Nevertheless, within a few weeks of surgery, the number of animals with ipsilaterally projecting cells were reduced to control values. The transiently enhanced ipsilateral projections to the retina imply changes in the guiding mechanism after these operations and the existence of control mechanisms against unusual connections to the retina in this bony fish. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

微电泳锂盐对大鼠尾壳核痛反应神经元电活动的影响

应用多管微电极离子微电泳技术,观察微电沪锂盐对大鼠尾壳核痛反应神经元电活动的影响,实验结果表明,痛相关神经元在ＣＰＮ头区内呈现均匀的分布,但痛兴奋神经元和痛抑制神经元的分布可能不均匀,其中ＰＩＮ主要分布在ＣＰＮ的头前区,ＰＥＮ则较集中于ＣＰＮ中心区。微电泳锂盐能抑制ＣＰＮ头区内ＰＥＮ的痛放活动,并使ＰＩＮ放电活动增加;这种ＰＥＮ与ＰＩＮ锂盐的反应型式与它们对啡的反应型式呈正相关,提示锂盐的镇痛作用     

催产素、精氨酸加压素、促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素、神经肽Y、神经降压肽、P物质及亮氨酸脑啡肽免疫阳性纤维在大鼠结合臂旁核的分布

应用免疫细胞化学 ABC 技术观察了催产素、精氨酸加压素、促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素、神经肽 Y、神经降压肽、P 物质及亮氨酸脑啡肽免疫反应阳性纤维在大鼠结合臂旁核中的分布。催产素阳性纤维稀少,分布于腹外侧亚核、外外侧亚核、背外侧亚核及外外侧亚核与背外侧亚核之间的移行区。加压素阳性纤维亦甚为稀少,分布于腹外侧亚核、背外侧亚核、外外侧亚核与极外侧亚核.促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素阳性纤维分布于尾侧部臂旁核腰区、外外侧亚核腹内侧部、极外侧亚核、背外侧亚核、中央外侧亚核、内外侧亚核及臂旁内侧核。神经肽 Y 阳性纤维大多为串珠状的终末祥结构,分布于尾侧部腹外侧亚核、背外侧亚核、外外侧亚核背外侧部及外内侧亚核,在上外侧亚核、结合臂背内侧端背侧及臂旁内侧核腹侧部也有少量分布.神经降压肽阳性纤维分布于尾侧部臂旁核腰区、背外侧亚核、背外侧亚核与外外侧亚核之间的移行区、外外侧亚核、外内侧亚核及中吻部臂旁内侧核腹侧部。P 物质及亮氨酸脑啡肽阳性纤维分布于所有的臂旁外侧核诸亚核及外内侧亚核。     

大鼠脑桥背侧被盖区含L-ENK和SP的神经元

本实验用成年雄性Wistar大鼠,以免疫细胞化学法、计算机图象分析法研究了大鼠脑桥背侧被盖区含亮氨酸脑啡肽(L-ENK)和P物质(SP)神经元的分布和形态。含L-ENK的神经元分布于Gudden背侧被盖核的背部和腹部(DDT、VDT),以及外背侧被盖核(LDT)。DDT内含L-ENK的细胞多而密集,周围有深染的神经纤维。胞体形态以圆形和卵圆形为主。随机测量免疫反应阳性细胞,平均等效径为12.18μm。VDT和LDT内含L-ENK细胞少,染色较浅。VDT的胞体为圆形和卵圆形,平均等效径为12.24μm。LDT的胞体为多边形,平均等效径为15.67μm。含SP的神经元仅见于LDT,细胞数量较多,胞体较大,呈多边形,平均等效径是20.39μm。本研究的结果显示:DDT,VDT和LDT各核内含L-ENK神经元的分布密度,细胞形态和大小均有所不同。DDT较密集,LDT细胞较大。LDT内含SP和L-ENK神经元多数可归为两类,含SP的胞体较大含L—ENK的胞体较小。DDT,VDT和LDT不同形态的含肽细胞可能与它们不同的中枢联系和功能有关。