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Origins of the glycinergic inputs to the rat locus coeruleus and dorsal raphe nuclei: a study combining retrograde tracing with glycine immunohistochemistry
Author(s) -
Rampon Claire,
Peyron Christelle,
Gervasoni Damien,
Pow David V.,
Luppi PierreHervé,
Fort Patrice
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
european journal of neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.346
H-Index - 206
eISSN - 1460-9568
pISSN - 0953-816X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1460-9568.1999.00511.x
Subject(s) - locus coeruleus , dorsal raphe nucleus , monoaminergic , neuroscience , glycine receptor , serotonergic cell groups , raphe nuclei , serotonergic , reticular formation , retrograde tracing , biology , nucleus raphe magnus , anatomy , chemistry , nucleus , glycine , serotonin , receptor , amino acid , biochemistry
The amino acid glycine is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brainstem and is likely involved in the tonic inhibition of the monoaminergic neurons during all sleep‐waking stages. In order to determine the neurons at the origin of the glycinergic innervation of the two principal monoaminergic nuclei, the locus coeruleus and the dorsal raphe of the rat, we applied a double‐labelling technique, combining retrograde transport of cholera‐toxin B subunit with glycine immunohistochemistry. Using this technique, we found that the locus coeruleus and dorsal raphe nuclei receive a common glycinergic innervation from the ventral and ventrolateral periaqueductal grey, including the adjacent deep mesencephalic reticular nucleus. Small additional glycinergic inputs to these nuclei originated from the lateral paragigantocellular nucleus and the rostral ventromedial medullary reticular formation. The potential role of these glycinergic inputs in the control of the excitability of the monoaminergic neurons of the locus coeruleus and dorsal raphe nuclei is discussed.