The distributions and morphological characteristics of neurons displaying immunoreactivity to the catecholamine synthetic enzymes tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH), and phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PNMT) were examined in the adjacent sections of the whole brain in the Striped Field Mouse (Apodemus agrarius coreae) The medulla oblongata were divided into 3 parts (rostral medulla oblongata, area postrema portion of medulla oblongata and caudal medulla oblongata) in this study. In the rostral medulla oblongata, adrenergic (TH-, DBH- and PNMT-positive) neurons were found in dorsal motor nucleus of vagus, nucleus tractus solitarius, dorsal strip and medial longitudinal fasciculus. In the ventrolateral medullary tegmentum of rostral medulla oblongata, adrenergic neurons were found between gigantocellular reticular nucleus and paragigantocellular reticular nucleus. In the area postrema portion of medulla oblongata, noradrenergic neurons were found in the nucleus tractus solitarius, and area postrema. And dopaminergic or adrenergic neurons were also found in dorsal motor nucleus of vagus. In the caudal medulla oblongata, noradrenergic neurons were found in the medial part of nucleus tractus solitarius and superior part of the lateral reticular nucleus.
Adrenergic Neurons ; Animals ; Area Postrema ; Brain ; Immunohistochemistry ; Medulla Oblongata* ; Mice ; Murinae* ; Neurons* ; Solitary Nucleus ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase* ; Tyrosine*

This experimental studies was to investigate the location of CNS labeled neurons following injection of pseudorabies virus (PRV), Bartha strain, into the rat thymus. After survival times of 96~120 hours following injection of PRV, the rats were perfused, and their spinal cord and brain were frozen sectioned(30micrometer). These sections were stained by PRV immunohistochemical staining method, and observed with light microscope The results were as follows: 1. The PRV labeled spinal cord segments projecting to the rat thymus were founded in cervical and thoracic segments. Densely labeled areas of each spinal cord segment were founded in lamina V, VII, X, intermediolateral nucleus and dorsal nucleus. 2. In the rhombencephalon, PRV labeled neurons projecting to the thymus were founded in the A1 noradrenalin cells/C1 adrenalin cells/caudoventrolateral reticular nucleus, rostroventro-lateral reticular nucleus, medullary reticular nucleus, area postrema, nucleus solitary tract, nucleus raphe obscurus, nucleus raphe pallidus, nucleus raphe magnus, gigantocellular reticular nucleus, lateral paragigantocellular nucleus and spinal trigeminal nucleus. 3. In the mesencephalon, PRV labeled neurons were founded in parabrachial nucleus, Kolliker-Fuse nucleus, central gray matter, substantia nigra, nucleus dorsal raphe, A8 dopamin cells of retrorubral field, Edinger-Westphal nucleus, locus coeruleus, subcoeruleus nucleus and A5 noradrenalin cells. 4. In the prosencephalon, PRV labeled neurons were founded in reuniens thalamic nucleus, paraventricular thalamic nucleus, precommissural nucleus, paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, anterior hypothalamic nucleus, lateral hypothalamic nucleus, preoptic hypothalamic nucleus, retrochiasmatic area, arcuate nucleus, dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus and ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus. These results suggest that PRV labeled neurons of the spinal cord projecting to the rat thymus might be the neurons related to the viscero-somatic sensory and sympathetic preganglionic neurons, and PRV labeled neurons of the brain may be the neurons response to the movement of smooth muscle in blood vessels. These PRV labeled neurons may be central autonomic center related to the integration and modulation of reflex control linked to the sensory system monitoring the internal environment. These observations provide evidence for previously unknown projections from spinal cord and brain to the thymus which may be play an important role in the regulation of thymic function.
Animals ; Anterior Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Arcuate Nucleus ; Area Postrema ; Blood Vessels ; Brain ; Dorsomedial Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Herpesvirus 1, Suid* ; Hypothalamic Area, Lateral ; Immunohistochemistry ; Locus Coeruleus ; Mesencephalon ; Midline Thalamic Nuclei ; Muscle, Smooth ; Neurons* ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Prosencephalon ; Pseudorabies* ; Rats* ; Reflex ; Rhombencephalon ; Spinal Cord ; Substantia Nigra ; Thymus Gland* ; Trigeminal Nucleus, Spinal ; Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus

These studies were performed to identify the localization, and neuronal function of calcitonin gene-related peptide[CGRP] in the neural axis of rat stomach by retrograde tracing and immunohistochemical techniques. After injection of pseudorabies virus Bartha strain[PRV] as tracer between serosa and muscle layer of stomach, the rats were perfused and the brains were removed. PRV-immunoreactive cells were observed in central nucleus of amygdaloid, insular cortex, subfornical organ, bed nucleus of stria terminalis, paraventricular nucleus, organum vasculosum of terminalis, suprachiasmatic nucleus, lateral hypothalamic area, K lliker-Fuse nucleus, parabrachial nucleus, locus ceruleus, A1 noradrenaline area, A5 noradrenaline area, area postrema, dorsal motor nucleus of vagus nerve, nucleus tractus solitarius and raphe nuclei. CGRP-immunoreactive cells are observed in insular cortex, bed nucleus of stria terminalis, paraventricular nucleus, lateral hypothalamic area, parabrachial nucleus, area postrema, nucleus tractus solitarisu, neucleus ambiguus, facial nucleus, hypoglossal nucleus and raphe nuclei. The dobule immunofluorescent study was carried out to examine the coexistence of CGRP and PRV in several nuclei : insular cortex, bed nucleus of stria terminalis, paraventricular nucleus, later hypithalamic area, parabrachial nucleus, area postrema, nucleus tractus solitarius and raphe nuclei. At the results of double immunofluorescent study, we could not observe the double immunoreactive neurons CGRP and PRV in those nuclei but raphe nuclei. These results suggest that CGRP should not have a neural functions in the neurons in nuclei projecting to rat stomach except raphe nuclei.
Animals ; Area Postrema ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Brain* ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide* ; Calcitonin* ; Herpesvirus 1, Suid ; Hypothalamic Area, Lateral ; Locus Coeruleus ; Neurons ; Norepinephrine ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Raphe Nuclei ; Rats* ; Septal Nuclei ; Serous Membrane ; Solitary Nucleus ; Stomach ; Subfornical Organ ; Suprachiasmatic Nucleus ; Vagus Nerve

The effect of repeat exposure to 1soflurane on cerebral glucose utilization was studied by quantita-tive autoradiography using 19 male Sprague-Dawley rats. Local cerebral glucose utilization was compared between a conscious control and an Isoflurane anesthetized rat (single exposure, repeat exposure for 1 week and repeat exposure for 2 weeks) The results were as follows: 1) There was a small decrease of blood pressure in the anesthetized group, but it was within the range of autoregulation. The PaO2and PaCO2 were influenced by artificial ventilation in the anesthetized group but remained in normal range. 2) 1-CMRg decreased in most regions of the anesthetized group. A larger decreased glucous utilized region was observed with repeat exposure for 1 week than 2 weeks when compared to comscious control. but more regions involved decreased glucose utilization in the 2 week exposure group when compare to the single exposure. In particular the sensory motor cortex, and cerebral assocition areas were most severely affected. 3) There was no statistical significant difference between the 1 week and the 2 week exposure group. However significant decreased glucous utilization was seen on anterior thalamus in the 2 week exposure group. 4) Some regions with increased glucose utilization were the cerebellum nucleus, vestibular nucleus, hippocampus molecular layer and havenula in the single exposure group, Ansignifecant increase was seen in superior colliculus superficialis, anterior thalamus and hippocampus molecular layer in the repeat exposure group. 5) The order of decreased glucose utilization by funtional unit was: myelinated fiber>auditory system>visual system: other regions were ordered differently between groups. 6) The order of decreased glucose utilization according to anatomical regions were: telence- phalone > diencephalon > mesencephalone > metencephalone > myelencephalone in all three groups; i. e, rostral to caudal gradient of glucous utilization was well-maintained in-single or repeat-exposured groups. 7) There were significantly prominent regions appearing in anesthetized rat brains. They were havenular, havenulo-interpeduncular nucleus, and fornix. They were all preserved in repeat-exposure rats.
Animals ; Autoradiography ; Blood Pressure ; Brain ; Cerebellum ; Diencephalon ; Glucose* ; Hippocampus ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Isoflurane ; Male ; Mesencephalon ; Metencephalon ; Motor Cortex ; Myelencephalon ; Myelin Sheath ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reference Values ; Superior Colliculi ; Thalamus ; Ventilation

The nerves innervating the sublingual gland of the rat was investigated using PRV (pseudorabies virus) as a neural tracer. The neural tracer was injected into left sublingual gland of the rat. In the central nervous system, PRV immunoreactive neurons were labeled bilaterally and tended to be more densely labeled in the left side. PRV immunoreactive neuronal cell bodies and fibers were observed in insular cortex, paraventricular nucleus, deep mesencephalic nucleus, spinal trigeminal tract, lateral paragigantocellular nucleus, parvicellular reticular nucleus, raphe obscurus, gigantocellular reticular nucleus and gigantocellular reticular nucleus, alpha. The more densely labeled PRV immunoreactive neurons were found in the deep mesencephalic nucleus, spinal trigeminal tract and lateral paragigantocellular nucleus. These results may provide a neuroanatomical data on the nerves innervating the sublingual gland in the rat brain.
Animals ; Brain* ; Central Nervous System ; Herpesvirus 1, Suid* ; Neurons ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Pseudorabies* ; Raphe Nuclei ; Rats* ; Sublingual Gland* ; Trigeminal Nucleus, Spinal

BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported that cholecystokinin (CCK), a short-term meal related satiety signal, and leptin, long-term signal for controlling feeding behaviour and body weight, act synergistically to inhibit food intake. However the mechanism and neuroanatomical basis for this response remain unclear. To clarify the neuronal mechanisms underlying the synergistic interaction between leptin and CCK, we examined the neuron activated by single or combined injection of leptin and CCK in fasted rats using immunohistochemistry for Fos. The expression of Fos can be used to trace neuronal activation pathways. METHODS: The rats were divided into 4 groups; Tris solution-saline, Tris solution-CCK, leptin-saline, leptin-CCK. Rats were received a single intracerebroventricular injection of either 3mul Tris solution or 3microgram leptin, and a single intraperitoneal injection of either 2mul saline or 2microgram/kg sulfated CCK-8. The changes of the Fos expression were investigated in the paraventricular nucleus (Pa), retrochiasmatic area (RCh), lateral hypothalamic nucleus (LH), central nucleus of amygdala(Ce), supraoptic nucleus (SO), arcuate nucleus (Arc), ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus(VMH),dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DM), ventral premammillary nucleus (PMV), superior lateral subdivision of parabrachial nucleus (LPBS), external lateral subdivision of parabrachial nucleus (LPBE), supragenual nucleus (SGe), area postrema (AP), medial area (SolM) and commissural area (SolC) of nucleus of the solitary tract nuclei. RESULTS: CCK increased the Fos expression in the Pa, RCh, LH, Ce, SO, Arc, VMH, DM, PMV, LPBS, LPBE and SolM. Leptin increased the Fos expression in the Pa, RCh, LH, SO, Arc, VMH, DM, PMV, LPBS, LPBE, SGe, AP and SolM. Injections of leptin and CCK significantly enhanced the Fos expression in the Pa, RCh, VMH, DM, LPBS, and SolM compared with those induced by leptin or CCK alone. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the Pa, RCh, VMH, DM, LPBS and SolM may be essential sites mediating the synergistic effect of leptin and CCK to regulate food intake.
Animals ; Arcuate Nucleus ; Area Postrema ; Body Weight ; Brain* ; Cholecystokinin* ; Eating ; Hypothalamic Area, Lateral ; Immunohistochemistry ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Leptin* ; Meals ; Negotiating ; Neurons ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Rats* ; Sincalide ; Solitary Nucleus ; Supraoptic Nucleus

No abstract available.
Area Postrema*

AIMTo determine the role of area postrema (AP) of rabbit in the regulation of cardiovascular function.

METHODSThe rabbits were anesthetized with intravenous injection of 10% urethane and 1% chloralose, and were artificially ventilated. The changes of mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were observed when AP was electrically stimulated with different frequency (10 Hz -80 Hz) and after chemical lesion of CVLM or RVLM, respectively.

RESULTSElectrical stimulation of AP with low frequency (10 Hz, 20 Hz) decreased MAP and HR. Stimulation with high frequency(60 Hz, 80 Hz) increased MAP but decreased HR. The changes in MAP and HR were significantly lower (P < 0.01) after CVLM was destroyed when electrical stimulation of AP with 20 Hz, and both changes of MAP and HR were disappeared (P < 0.01) after RVLM was destroyed when electrical stimulation with 20 and 80 Hz.

CONCLUSIONElectrical stimulation of AP with low frequency decreases MAP and HR, stimulation with high frequency induces an increase in MAP and decreases in HR. The former is probably related to excitation of CVLM, the cardiovascular effects induced by different frequency of electrical stimulation are all resulted from the activation of RVLM.

Animals ; Area Postrema ; physiology ; radiation effects ; Blood Pressure ; radiation effects ; Electric Stimulation ; Heart Rate ; radiation effects ; Male ; Medulla Oblongata ; physiology ; radiation effects ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVETo explore the role of area postrema (AP) of medulla in control of cardiovascular functions in rat.

METHODS(1) Sprague Dawley rats were anaesthetized with urethane and pentobarbital and the AP was stimulated by electrical stimulus with intensity of 0.1 mA and frequencies ranged 10 approximate, equals 80 Hz. (2) Excitatory amino acid L-glutamate (L- Glu, 0.1 approximate, equals 0.5 mol/L) was microinjected into AP in urethane anaesthetized rats and the changes of mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded.

RESULT(1) When the frequencies of 10 Hz, 20 Hz and 40 Hz were used, the electrical stimulation of AP caused decrease of MAP and HR (P<0.001),while the electrical stimulation with the frequencies of 60 Hz and 80 Hz caused an increase of MAP (P<0.05) but a decrease of HR (P<0.001). (2) Microinjection of L-Glu at 0.1 mol/L had no effect on MAP and HR (P>0.05), but it decreased MAP and HR at 0.15 mol/L (P<0.001, P<0.05). The MAP was increased (P<0.001) but HR (P<0.05) was decreased at the concentrations of 0.2 mol/L and 0.5 mol/L, respectively.

CONCLUSIONAlterations of MAP and HR induced by electrical or chemical stimulation on AP of medulla are related to the frequency of electrical stimulation or concentration of L-Glu.

Animals ; Area Postrema ; physiology ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Electric Stimulation ; Glutamic Acid ; pharmacology ; Heart Rate ; drug effects ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Solitary Nucleus ; physiology

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The transsynaptic transfer of neurotropic viruses is an effective tool for tracing chains of connected neurons, because replication of virus in the recipient neurons after the transfer amplifies the "tracer signal". The aim of this study is to identify the central neural pathways projecting to the facial nerve using the Bartha strain of the Pseudorabies virus (PRV-Ba )as a transsynaptic tracer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PRV-Ba was injected into the facial nerve in the stylomastoid foramen of a rat, and was localized in the rat brain with light microscopic immunohistochemistry using primary antibodies against the PRV-Ba. Sequential tracing was carried out on the retrogradely labeled neurons were done. RESULTS: The shapes of upper motor neurons of facial nerve were mostly ovoid or polygonal. The positive immunoreactive cells observed in the brainstem nuclei included raphe obscurus nucleus, facial nucleus, parvocellular reticular nucleus, spinal trigeminal nucleus, ventral parabrachial nucleus, central gray, and dorsal raphe nucleus. Other positive cells stained in the diencephalon were found in periventricular hypothalamic nucleus, dorsal hypothalamic area, orbital gyri, and infralimbic cortex in the frontal lobe. CONCLUSIONS: These results show the central neural pathways of facial nerve using PRV-Ba.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Brain ; Brain Stem ; Diencephalon ; Facial Nerve ; Frontal Lobe ; Herpesvirus 1, Suid ; Immunohistochemistry ; Motor Neurons ; Neural Pathways* ; Neurons ; Orbit ; Raphe Nuclei ; Rats ; Trigeminal Nucleus, Spinal