Neurones in the dorsal vagal complex may be more tasteful than expected

In the last decade, there has been a dramatic increase in academic and pharmaceutical interest in central integration of vago-vagal reflexes controlling the gastrointestinal tract. Associated with this, there have been substantial efforts to determine the receptor-mediated events in the dorsal vagal complex that underlie the physiological responses to distension or variations in the composition of the gut contents. Strong evidence supports the idea that glutamate is a transmitter in afferent vagal fibers conveying information from the gut to the brain, and the implications of this are discussed in this themes article. Furthermore, both ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors mediate pre- and postsynaptic control of glutamate transmission related to several reflexes, including swallowing motor pattern generation, gastric accommodation, and emesis. The emphasis of this themes article is on the potential therapeutic benefits afforded by modulation of these receptors at the site of the dorsal vagal complex.

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Thyrotropin-releasing hormone in the dorsal vagal complex stimulates pancreatic blood flow in rats

Regulatory Peptides ◽

10.1016/j.regpep.2005.06.010 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 131 (1-3) ◽

pp. 74-81 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Masashi Yoneda ◽

Manabu Goto ◽

Kimihide Nakamura ◽

Shiro Yokohama ◽

Toru Kono ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Flow ◽

Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone ◽

Dorsal Vagal Complex ◽

Pancreatic Blood Flow ◽

Releasing Hormone

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Neurogenesis inhibition in the dorsal vagal complex by chronic immobilization stress in the adult rat

Neuroscience ◽

10.1016/j.neuroscience.2008.10.040 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 158 (2) ◽

pp. 524-536 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

F. Chigr ◽

F. Rachidi ◽

S. Segura ◽

S. Mahaut ◽

C. Tardivel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immobilization Stress ◽

Dorsal Vagal Complex ◽

Adult Rat ◽

Chronic Immobilization Stress

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Distribution of nitric oxide synthase in rat dorsal vagal complex and effects of microinjection of nitric oxide compounds upon gastric motor function

The Journal of Comparative Neurology ◽

10.1002/(sici)1096-9861(19970106)377:1<49::aid-cne6>3.0.co;2-j ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 377 (1) ◽

pp. 49-69 ◽

Cited By ~ 95

Author(s):

Z.K. Krowicki ◽

K.A. Sharkey ◽

S.C. Serron ◽

N.A. Nathan ◽

P.J. Hornby

Keyword(s):

Nitric Oxide ◽

Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽

Motor Function ◽

Dorsal Vagal Complex ◽

Gastric Motor Function ◽

Oxide Synthase

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Vagal Regulation of Gastric Function Involves Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone in the Medullary Raphe Nuclei and Dorsal Vagal Complex

Digestion ◽

10.1159/000201015 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 54 (2) ◽

pp. 65-72 ◽

Cited By ~ 43

Author(s):

Y. Taché ◽

H. Yang ◽

M. Yoneda

Keyword(s):

Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone ◽

Raphe Nuclei ◽

Dorsal Vagal Complex ◽

Gastric Function ◽

Releasing Hormone ◽

Medullary Raphe ◽

Raphé Nuclei

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Neural mechanism of gastric motility regulation by electroacupuncture at RN12 and BL21: A paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus-dorsal vagal complex-vagus nerve-gastric channel pathway

World Journal of Gastroenterology ◽

10.3748/wjg.v21.i48.13480 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 21 (48) ◽

pp. 13480 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Hao Wang

Keyword(s):

Vagus Nerve ◽

Gastric Motility ◽

Neural Mechanism ◽

Hypothalamic Nucleus ◽

Dorsal Vagal Complex ◽

Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ◽

Motility Regulation

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The Neural Pathway of Reflex Regulation of Electroacupuncture at Orofacial Acupoints on Gastric Functions in Rats

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2012/753264 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2012 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jianhua Liu ◽

Wenbin Fu ◽

Wei Yi ◽

Zhenhua Xu ◽

Nenggui Xu

Keyword(s):

Myoelectric Activity ◽

Motor Nucleus ◽

Dorsal Vagal Complex ◽

Solitary Tract ◽

Neural Pathway ◽

Excitatory Effect ◽

Reflex Regulation ◽

Gastric Myoelectric Activity ◽

Dorsal Motor Nucleus ◽

Spike Bursts

Acupuncture has a reflex regulation in gastrointestinal functions, which is characterized with segment. In the present study, the neural pathway of electroacupuncture (EA) at orofacial acupoints (ST2) on gastric myoelectric activity (GMA) in rats was investigated. The results indicated that EA at ST2 facilitated spike bursts of GMA, which is similar to EA at limbs and opposite to EA at abdomen. The excitatory effect was abolished by the transaction of infraorbital nerves, dorsal vagal complex lesion, and vagotomy, respectively. In addition, microinjection of L-glutamate into the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) attenuated the excitatory effect. All these data suggest that the dorsal vagal complex is involved in the reflex regulation of EA at orofacial acupoints on gastric functions and NTS-dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) inhibitory connections may be essential for it.

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