Neurons of nucleus of the solitary tract synchronize the EEG and elevate cerebral blood flow via a novel medullary area. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • In anesthetized spinalized rat, electrical stimulation of the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) synchronizes the EEG by increasing the power of 4-6-Hz waves (>100%; P<0.01), and elevates cerebral blood flow (rCBF) by 18+/-5% (P<0.05). The coordinated response appears within seconds, is global, reversible, graded, evoked from the commissural sub-nucleus, and replicated by L-glutamate. The responses are markedly reduced by bilateral lesions or muscimol microinjections restricted to a region of ventral medullary reticular formation, the medullary cerebral vasodilator area (MCVA), a region from which stimulation elicits identical responses and mediates the comparable responses to hypoxic/ischemic excitation of sympathoexcitatory neurons of rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). We conclude that: (a) excitation of intrinsic neurons of commissural NTS synchronizes the EEG and coordinately elevates rCBF; (b) the responses are mediated by excitation of neurons in MCVA; (c) the MCVA may be a common final pathway mediating cerebrovascular and EEG responses from multiple areas of CNS; and (d) the NTS-MCVA pathway may be a part of the anatomical substrate for behaviors, including slow-wave sleep and seizure suppression evoked by stimulation of visceral afferents terminating in NTS.

publication date

  • February 16, 2001

Research

keywords

  • Cerebrovascular Circulation
  • Electroencephalography
  • Medulla Oblongata
  • Neurons
  • Solitary Nucleus

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0035895818

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/s0006-8993(00)02949-8

PubMed ID

  • 11172744

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 892

issue

  • 1