The acoustic startle reflex: neurons and connections

Yeomans, John S.; Frankland, Paul W.

doi:10.1016/0165-0173(96)00004-5

Cited by 421 publications

(296 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…The neuronal circuit involved in the acoustic startle reflex is relatively simple, with the caudal nucleus of the pontine reticular formation (PnC) involved as an important relay between auditory and motor systems (Davis et al 1982;Yeomans and Frankland 1996). It has been proposed that during PPI of the acoustic startle response, the prepulse engages neuronal systems of the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPtg) that project to the PnC (Koch 1999;Swerdlow et al 1992;Swerdlow and Geyer 1993).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduced Brain Serotonin Activity Disrupts Prepulse Inhibition of the Acoustic Startle Reflex Effects of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine and p-chlorophenylalanine

Fletcher

2001

Neuropsychopharmacology

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduced Brain Serotonin Activity Disrupts Prepulse Inhibition of the Acoustic Startle Reflex Effects of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine and p-chlorophenylalanine

Fletcher

2001

Neuropsychopharmacology

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“…Thus, the current study is not inconsistent with the literature in observing birth group differences in one of these parameters, PPI, but not the other, ASR. The ASR activates a pathway involving the cochlear nucleus, ventrolateral pons, reticular formation, and spinal motor neurons (reviewed by Yeomans and Frankland 1996). Reported effects of DAergic agents on acoustic startle have been inconsistent.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Birth Insult Alters Dopamine-Mediated Behavior in a Precocial Species, the Guinea Pig Implications for Schizophrenia

Vaillancourt

Boksa

2000

Neuropsychopharmacology

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Schizophrenia is associated with increased birth complications, suggesting that birth complications might alter CNS dopaminergic activity later in life. In rats, Caesarean section (C-section) birth can produce long term changes in dopaminergic biochemistry and behavior. However rat brain is somewhat immature compared to human brain at birth. The current study tested if mild birth complications also alter dopamine-mediated function in a species with a more mature CNS at birth, the guinea pig. As adults, guinea pigs born by C-section showed increased amphetamine-induced locomotion and disruption of prepulse inhibition (PPI) of acoustic startle, compared to vaginally born controls. Guinea pigs born by C-section withThere is considerable evidence that enhanced mesolimbic dopaminergic activity plays an important role in some of the symptomatology of schizophrenia (e.g., Laruelle et al. 1996Laruelle et al. , 1999Breier et al. 1997; AbiDargham et al. 1998; see reviews by Seeman 1992; Lieberman et al. 1997). In addition, a large number of epidemiological studies have demonstrated that perinatal complications, often involving fetal or neonatal hypoxia, are associated with increased risk for the development of schizophrenia (e.g., Geddes and Lawrie 1995;Jones et al. 1998;Dalman et al. 1999;Hultman et al. 1999;Zornberg et al. 2000; see review by McNeil 1995).Animal modelling provides the opportunity to directly test if a birth complication, such as hypoxia, can cause long term changes in dopaminergic function. Using a rat model of global hypoxia during Caesarean section (C-section) birth, several laboratories have demonstrated that dopaminergic systems are sensitive to mild birth alterations (Bjelke et al. 1991;Loidl et al. 1994;Chen et al. 1995Chen et al. , 1997 Brake et al. 1997a,b; Boksa 1997, 1998;Vaillancourt and Boksa 1998; Berger et al. 2000a). Specifically, as adults, rats born by C-section, either with or without addition of a period of global hypoxia, show increased nucleus accumbens dopamine (DA) release in response to repeated stress (Brake et al. 1997b) Vaillancourt et al. 1999), similar to the reported increased incidence of mild respiratory distress in humans born by C-section (Hales et al. 1993).In relation to the possible clinical relevance of these results, rat brain is generally believed to be somewhat less mature at birth than is the brain of the human newborn. It has been suggested that, at approximately postnatal day 10, the brain of the rat is at the stage of rapid growth, accelerated synaptogenesis, myelinization, and astrocyte proliferation characteristic of the human newborn at term (see review by Romijn et al. 1991). Thus, the model of birth insult in the rat may relate more to premature than to term human brain. To circumvent this limitation, we initiated the current studies to test if mild birth complications also alter DA mediated function in a species with a more mature CNS at birth. The guinea pig is a precocial species, that is, capable of a high degree of independent activity at birth....

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“…The neural basis for the startle reflex resides in neurons in the nucleus reticularis pontis caudalis, which are known to receive short latency tactile, acoustic and vestibular input (Yeomans et al, 2002) that, in turn, project directly to vast numbers of brainstem and spinal cord motor neurons (for review, see Yeomans and Frankland, 1995). Neurons in this pontine reticular nucleus exhibit consistently high auditory response thresholds (>80dB SPL) as well as response habituation to repeated stimuli (Wu et al, 1988).…”

Section: Non-specific Cortical Activation?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A corollary of the cortical arousal system is the brainstem startle reflex, in which intense and/ or novel auditory, tactile, vestibular or visual stimulation evoke strong, bilateral co-contraction of flexor muscles (for review, see Koch, 1998;Yeomans and Frankland, 1995;Yeomans et al, 2002). The neural basis for the startle reflex resides in neurons in the nucleus reticularis pontis caudalis, which are known to receive short latency tactile, acoustic and vestibular input (Yeomans et al, 2002) that, in turn, project directly to vast numbers of brainstem and spinal cord motor neurons (for review, see Yeomans and Frankland, 1995).…”

Section: Non-specific Cortical Activation?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Subthreshold auditory inputs to extrastriate visual neurons are responsive to parametric changes in stimulus quality: Sensory-specific versus non-specific coding

2008

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A new subthreshold form of multisensory processing has been recently identified that results from the convergence of suprathreshold excitatory inputs from one modality with subthreshold inputs from another. Because of the subthreshold nature of the second modality, descriptive measures of sensory features such as receptive field properties or location are not directly apparent as they are for traditional bimodal neurons. This raises the question of whether or not subthreshold signals actually convey sensory-specific receptive field information as seen in their bimodal counterparts, or if they represent non-specific effects such as arousal. The present experiment addressed this issue in visually-responsive neurons from the cat posterolateral lateral suprasylvian cortex (PLLS). Singleunit electrophysiological techniques were used to record neuronal responses to visual, auditory and combined visual-auditory stimuli while the intensity of stimulation in the subthreshold auditory modality was systematically altered. The results showed that subthreshold multisensory neurons were sensitive to changes in auditory stimulus intensity. These receptive field sensitivities are similar to those observed in bimodal neurons and thereby represent sensory-specific, not arousal-related responses. In addition, these results provide further support for the notion that multisensory processing occurs along a dynamic continuum of neuronal convergence patterns from bimodal to purely sensory-specific.

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The acoustic startle reflex: neurons and connections

Cited by 421 publications

References 66 publications

Reduced Brain Serotonin Activity Disrupts Prepulse Inhibition of the Acoustic Startle Reflex Effects of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine and p-chlorophenylalanine

Reduced Brain Serotonin Activity Disrupts Prepulse Inhibition of the Acoustic Startle Reflex Effects of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine and p-chlorophenylalanine

Birth Insult Alters Dopamine-Mediated Behavior in a Precocial Species, the Guinea Pig Implications for Schizophrenia

Subthreshold auditory inputs to extrastriate visual neurons are responsive to parametric changes in stimulus quality: Sensory-specific versus non-specific coding

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