Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
4327799 | Brain Research | 2009 | 9 Pages |
Abstract
Pharmacological manipulations of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission in the nucleus pontis oralis (PnO) of the rat brainstem produce alterations in sleep/wake behavior. Local applications of GABAA receptor antagonists and agonists increase REM sleep and wake, respectively. These findings support a role for GABAergic mechanisms of the PnO in the control of arousal state. We have been investigating sources of GABA innervation of the PnO that may interact with local GABAA receptors in the control of state. Utilizing a retrograde tracer, cholera toxin-B subunit (CTb), injected into the PnO and dual-label immunohistochemistry with an antibody against glutamic acid decarboxalase-67 (GAD67), we report on a previously unidentified GABAergic neuronal population projecting to the contralateral PnO appearing as a column of cells, with long-axis in the sagittal plane, extending through the midbrain and pons. We refer to these neurons as the mesopontine GABAergic column (MPGC). The contiguous, columnar, anatomical distribution suggests operation as a functional neural system, which may influence expression of REM sleep, wake and other behaviors subserved by the PnO.
Keywords
Omnipause neuronsIPCdiaminobenzidine tetrahydrochlorideCLiOPNRRFPMRPNVPA6PBSMo5Substantia nigra reticulataPnOXSCPVLLPr5cholera toxin-B subunitRtTgDABSNRRPOPNCPPTGad67VTACTBMnRsldSp5γ-aminobutyric acidretrograde labelingREM sleepPyramidal tractrubrospinal tractretrorubral fieldnucleus pontis oraliscerebral peduncleFacial nervePhosphate buffered salinemedial lemniscusventral tegmental areaventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscusPrincipal sensory trigeminal nucleuspedunculopontine tegmental nucleusmedian raphe nucleusmotor trigeminal nucleusspinal trigeminal nucleusventral tegmental nucleusPontine nucleivtgGABA
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Authors
Chang-Lin Liang, Gerald A. Marks,