The central projections of the trigeminal, facial, glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves: an autoradiographic study in the rat

Contreras, Robert J.; Beckstead, Robert M.; Norgren, Ralph

doi:10.1016/0165-1838(82)90003-0

Cited by 391 publications

(160 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…The nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) is a functionally and anatomically heterogeneous group of neurons that acts as a key integrating relay in the processing of visceral sensory and gustatory information (Lawrence and Jarrott, 1996;Contreras et al, 1982;Hamilton and Norgren, 1984). The caudal portion of NTS (cNTS) receives baroreceptor and chemoreceptor afferents from the heart and blood vessels via cranial nerves IX and X to control cardiac output.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heterogeneity of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor expression in the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract

Smith

Uteshev

2008

Neuropharmacology

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The nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) is the principal integrating relay in the processing of visceral sensory and gustatory information. In the present study, patch-clamp electrophysiological experiments were conducted using rat horizontal brainstem sections. Pre-synaptic and somatic/ dendritic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) expressed in neurons of the caudal NTS (cNTS) were found to be randomly distributed between pre-synaptic and somatic/dendritic sites (χ 2 =0.72, df =3, p>0.87, n=200). Pre-synaptic nAChRs were detected by their facilitating effects on glutamatergic neurotransmission of a sub-population of cNTS neurons (categorized as "effectpositive") upon brief picospritzer applications of 0.1-0.5 mM nicotine. These effects were resistant to inhibition by 20 nM methyllycaconitine (MLA) and 4 μM dihydro-β-erythroidine (DHβE), and were replicated by brief picospritzer applications of 0.2-1 mM cytisine. Picospritzer applications of 0.2 mM RJR-2403, a potent agonist of α4β2 nAChRs, did not facilitate synaptic release of glutamate in effect-positive cNTS neurons. The population of somatic/dendritic nAChRs has been found to be heterogeneous and included nAChRs that were activated by RJR-2403 and/or cytisine; or insensitive to cytisine; or inhibited by MLA. The presented results are consistent with the expression of β4-containing (i.e., β4*) nAChRs, likely α3β4*, in presynaptic terminals of effectpositive cNTS neurons. Somatic/dendritic nAChRs appear to involve both α7 and non-α7 subunits. Heterogeneity in the subunit composition of pre-synaptic and somatic/dendritic nAChRs may underlie diverse roles that these receptors play in regulation of behavioral and visceral reflexes, and may reflect specific targeting by endogenous nicotinic agents and nicotine.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heterogeneity of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor expression in the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract

Smith

Uteshev

2008

Neuropharmacology

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“…The IX nerve carries a significant tactile component (Frank, 1968) and sends terminations to both the NTS and spinal trigeminal nucleus in the brainstem (Contreras et al, 1982;Bradley et al, 1985;Sweazey and Bradley, 1986). Because the IX terminal field is greatly enlarged in the NTS of rats fed the sodium-restricted diet from E3 to E12, we examined the IX terminal field in the spinal trigeminal nucleus and found that there was no difference in the total spinal trigeminal IX terminal field volume between rats fed the control diet and rats fed the sodium-restricted diet from E3 to E12 (31.3 Ϯ 6.4 and 35.2 Ϯ 5.9, respectively; p Ͼ 0.05) (Fig.…”

Section: Nerve Terminal Field In the Spinal Trigeminal Nucleusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extensive Reorganization of Primary Afferent Projections into the Gustatory Brainstem Induced by Feeding a Sodium-Restricted Diet during Development: Less Is More

Mangold¹,

Hill²

2007

J. Neurosci.

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Neural development is especially vulnerable to environmental influences during periods of neurogenesis and rapid maturation. In fact, short periods of environmental manipulations confined to embryonic development lead to significant changes in morphology and function. A guiding principal emerging from studies of sensory systems is that experimentally induced effects are most dramatic in higher neural levels (e.g., cortex) and primarily involve postnatal synaptic refinements. In contrast to other sensory systems, the gustatory system is particularly susceptible to the effects of deprivation much earlier and with profound changes evident in the brainstem. Here we show that feeding pregnant rats a custom diet featuring a low-sodium content for 9 d before the tongue appears in the fetus produces extensive restructuring of the gustatory brainstem. Rats born to mothers fed the custom diet from embryonic day 3 (E3) to E12 have terminal field volumes of the greater superficial petrosal, chorda tympani, and glossopharyngeal nerves at adulthood that are expanded as much as 10 times beyond that found in rats fed a standard rat chow. The widespread alterations are not attributable to increased numbers of nerve cells, increased target size, or obvious changes in peripheral taste function. Moreover, we show that the limited period of feeding the custom diet has much larger effects than if rats were fed the diet to postweaning ages. Our results suggest that early periods of altered experience, especially during nucleus of the solitary tract neurogenesis, leads to a restructuring of the gustatory brainstem, which in turn may impact the control of sensory and homeostatic processes.

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“…These primary vagal afferents convey diverse sensory information from a variety of receptors located in cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal and other organs to the NTS neurons in the medulla (Contreras, 1982). Thus, the first monosynaptic contact for myelinated A-type and unmyelinated C-type axons of primary vagal afferent fibers are the second-order neurons in the NTS.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prostaglandin E2 depresses solitary tract-mediated synaptic transmission in the nucleus tractus solitarius

Laaris¹,

Weinreich²

2007

Neuroscience

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Prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) is a prototypical inflammatory mediator that excites and sensitizes cell bodies (Kwong and Lee, 2002; and peripheral nerve terminals (Ho et al. 2000) of primary vagal sensory neurons. Nearly all central nerve terminals of vagal afferents are in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), where they operate with a high probability of release (Doyle and Andresen, 2001). We studied the effect of PGE 2 on synaptic transmission between tractus solitarius afferent nerve terminals and the second order NTS neurons in brain stem slices of Sprague Dawley rats. Whole-cell patch recording in voltage clamp mode was used to study evoked excitatory postsynaptic glutamatergic currents (evEPSCs) from NTS neurons elicited by electrical stimulation of the solitary tract (ST). In 34 neurons, bath applied PGE 2 (200 nM) decreased the evEPSC amplitude by 49 ± 5 %. In 22 neurons, however, PGE 2 had no effect. We also tested 15 NTS neurons for capsaicin sensitivity. Seven neurons generated evEPSCs that were equally unaffected by PGE 2 and capsaicin. Conversely, evEPSCs of the other 8 neurons, which were PGE 2 -responsive, were abolished by 200 nM capsaicin. Furthermore, the PGE 2-induced depression of evEPSCs was associated with an increase in the paired pulse ratio and a decrease in both the frequency and amplitude of the spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) and TTX-independent spontaneous miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs). These results suggest that PGE 2 acts both presynaptically on nerve terminals and postsynaptically on NTS neurons to reduce glutamatergic responses. KeywordsGlutamate; AMPA receptors; Presynaptic; Postsynaptic Many neurons in the nucleus of the tractus solitarius (NTS) receive nerve terminals whose axons arise from cell bodies of vagal primary afferent neurons located in the nodose and jugular vagal ganglia. These primary vagal afferents convey diverse sensory information from a variety of receptors located in cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal and other organs to the NTS neurons in the medulla (Contreras, 1982). Thus, the first monosynaptic contact for myelinated A-type and unmyelinated C-type axons of primary vagal afferent fibers are the second-order neurons in the NTS. These fibers reach second-order NTS neurons via the solitary tract (Doyle Corresponding author: Nora Laaris, Department Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, Tel: (410) 706-1409, Fax: (410) 706-0032, e-mail: nlaar001@umaryland.edu. Section Editor: Dr. Yoland Smith, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its fin...

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The central projections of the trigeminal, facial, glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves: an autoradiographic study in the rat

Cited by 391 publications

References 24 publications

Heterogeneity of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor expression in the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract

Heterogeneity of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor expression in the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract

Extensive Reorganization of Primary Afferent Projections into the Gustatory Brainstem Induced by Feeding a Sodium-Restricted Diet during Development: Less Is More

Prostaglandin E2 depresses solitary tract-mediated synaptic transmission in the nucleus tractus solitarius

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