Orosensory deprivation alters taste-elicited c-Fos expression in the parabrachial nucleus of neonatal rats

Abstract

In the present study we examined the effects of neonatal orosensory deprivation on taste-elicited gustatory activity in the rat parabrachial nucleus (PBN) using the functional anatomical marker cFos. Animals in three groups (GG, GO and GM) received gastric cannula implantation surgery on postnatal day 9 (P9). Animals in the fourth group (MR) did not receive any surgery. GG rats were fed by infusion of artificial milk directly into the stomach. GO rats were fed by intraoral infusion of artificial milk. GM and MR rats were reared by their mother with free access to mother's milk, water and rat chow. Rats from all groups were similar in body weight and length by P21. On P21 rats in all groups were intraorally presented with 0.5 M sucrose solution and the brains were extracted and processed for c-Fos immunohistchemistry. Taste-elicited c-Fos expression in both the gustatory waist area, and the external lateral subnucleus of the PBN in rats in the GG group was significantly more robust than in the other three groups. These findings suggest a substantial alteration in orosensoryevoked neuronal response in this nucleus, due to sensory or motor deprivation during a critical developmental stage.

MSG-Evoked c-Fos Activity in the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract Is Dependent upon Fluid Delivery and Stimulation Parameters

“…In particular, there are 2 primary differences when taste stimuli are given in drinking bottles versus intraoral cannulae. First, animals consume fluids from drinking bottles intermittently in brief "bouts" (Stellar and Hill 1952;Gannon et al 1992;Boughter et al 2007;Johnson et al 2010; Barkley-Levenson and Crabbe 2012); whereas, taste stimuli are usually infused at a constant flow rate through intraoral cannulas (Harrer and Travers 1996;Houpt et al 1996;King et al 1999King et al , 2000King et al , 2003King et al , 2014King et al , 2015Travers 2002;Chan et al 2004;Jarrett et al 2007;Biondolillo et al 2009;Wilmouth and Spear 2009;Haino et al 2010;Nagy et al 2012;Zhao et al 2012;Riley and King 2013;Tokita et al 2014). Second, in order to encourage animals to consume fluids, animals are placed on water-restriction (e.g., 1 h of water/24 h for 2-3 days prior to experiment), but animals are rarely water deprived prior to receiving taste stimuli via intraoral cannulae.…”

Subnuclear organization of parabrachial efferents to the thalamus, amygdala and lateral hypothalamus in C57BL/6J mice: a quantitative retrograde double labeling study

“…Understanding the degree of collateralization should shed light on the functional organization of PbN efferents, i.e. whether the same information is conveyed to multiple targets from distinct subnuclei, which have been suggested to possess distinct functions (Yamamoto et al, 1994; Geerling and Loewy, 2007; Tokita et al, 2007; Hashimoto et al, 2009; Haino et al, 2010). Furthermore, these studies were conducted using mice, a species of bourgeoning use in gustatory research, albeit with limited study of its central taste system physiology (McCaughey, 2007; Lemon and Margolskee, 2009) or anatomy (Sugita and Shiba, 2005; Travers et al, 2007; Zaidi et al, 2006; Hashimoto et al, 2009; Tokita et al, 2009).…”

A Behavioral and Anatomical Analysis of Conditioned Taste Aversion in C57BL/6J and DBA/2J Mice

“…For example, there have been a number of taste studies that have used c-Fos activation as a marker to determine where neurons are responding to a stimulus (Yamamoto, T. 1993;Yamamoto, T. et al 1993;Houpt, T. A. et al 1994;Swank, M. W. et al 1994;Yamamoto, T. et al 1994;Houpt, T. A. et al 1996;Streefland, C. et al 1996;Chan, C. Y. et al 2004;Koh, M. T. et al 2005;St Andre, J. et al 2007;Yamamoto, T. et al 2009;Haino, T. et al 2010). In the studies presented here, we used immunohistochemical techniques to label the immediate early gene, c-Fos, as a method of identifying neurons responding to either a visceral stimulus, or a stimulus presented in a lickometer.…”

“…This makes it critical to ensure that animals are trained and handled properly in order to minimize stress. Also, in our studies, we focus on one area of the brain -the parabrachial nucleus -which is known for visceral (ingestive) and gustatory processing, and the use of Fos staining in these regions is well established (Yamamoto, T. 1993;Yamamoto, T. et al 1993;Swank, M. W. et al 1994;Yamamoto, T. et al 1994;Streefland, C. et al 1996;Navarro, M. et al 2000;St Andre, J. et al 2007;Haino, T. et al 2010). …”