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Effects of intragastric infusion of copper sulfate on the responses of parabrachial nucleus neurons to whole‐body rotations in decerebrate felines
Author(s) -
Suzuki Takeshi,
Sugiyama Yoichiro,
Yates Bill J
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.706.2
Subject(s) - parabrachial nucleus , vestibular system , vestibular nuclei , stimulation , medial vestibular nucleus , motion sickness , reflex , medicine , anesthesia , neuroscience , respiratory system , chemistry , hypothalamus , biology , radiology
The parabrachial nucleus (PBN) plays a key role in relaying gastrointestinal (GI) signals to neurons in the limbic system and hypothalamus, and thus is likely involved in producing nausea. Some PBN neurons also receive vestibular inputs, and may participate in generating motion sickness‐related nausea. However, no previous studies have considered the interactive effects of GI inputs on PBN responses to whole‐body rotations. In the present study, we compared the responses of PBN neurons to rotations in vertical planes before and after the intragastric infusion of the emetic drug copper sulfate. The firing rate of a variety of PBN neurons, including those with respiratory‐related activity and those that received GI and baroreceptor inputs, was modulated by rotations in vertical planes. More PBN neurons were activated better by tilts in the sagittal (pitch) plane than by rotations in the transverse (roll) plane, and the responses of most of the cells were similar to those of otolith organs. For neurons with GI inputs, it was common for responses to vestibular stimulation to be affected by copper sulfate infusion: responses in 3/11 cells disappeared, whereas responses in 4/7 cells became evident. It was rare for copper sulfate infusion to affect the responses to vestibular stimulation of respiratory or cardiovascular units. These data show that emetic inputs alter the processing of motion signals by PBN neurons.