We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Activation of the ventral posterior medial nucleus of the thalamus (VPM) modulates activity of gustatory neurons in the parabrachial nuclei (PbN).
- Authors
Cheng-Shu Li; Cho, Young K.
- Abstract
The nucleus of the solitary tract (NST) and the PbN are the first and second central relays for gustatory information processing, respectively. From the PbN taste information is sent to various forebrain gustatory nuclei including VPM. The ventral forebrain gustatory nuclei also send descending fibers to the PbN and NST. An electrophysiological study has shown that some of the taste neurons in the PbN project to the VPM. In the present study we examined the influence of bilateral stimulation of the VPM on activity of taste neurons in the PbN in hamsters. Single unit activity was recorded from urethane anesthetized hamster PbN and taste responses were confirmed by delivery of four basic tastants (32 mM NaCl, sucrose, quinine hydrochloride, and 3.2 mM citric acid) to the anterior tongue. After a taste neuron is isolated in the PbN, the VPM was stimulated bilaterally. Of 50 PbN neurons tested, 41 cells and 22 cells were antidromically activated by ipsilateral and contralateral VPM stimulation, respectively. In addition, two cells were excited and three cells were inhibited by ipsilateral VPM stimulation while five cells were excited and seven cells were inhibited by contralateral VPM stimulation. These results demonstrated that both sides of the VPM receive intensive taste information from the PbN and that taste neurons in the PbN receive descending input from bilateral VPMpc as well.
- Subjects
CELL nuclei; THALAMUS; TASTE; NEURONS; HAMSTERS
- Publication
FASEB Journal, 2007, Vol 21, Issue 5, pA597
- ISSN
0892-6638
- Publication type
Article