Studies of the Central Neural Pathways to the Stomach and Zusanli (ST36)

2001 ◽  
Vol 29 (02) ◽  
pp. 211-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang Hyun Lee ◽  
Han Sol Jung ◽  
Tae Young Lee ◽  
Sang Ryoung Lee ◽  
Sang Won Yuk ◽  
...  

The purpose of this morphological study was to investigate the relation between the meridian, meridian points and viscera using neuroanatomical tracers. The common locations of the spinal cord and brain projecting to the stomach and Zusanli were observed following injection of CTB (cholera toxin B subunit) and pseudorabies viruses (PRV-Ba, Bartha strain and PRV-Ba-Gal, galactosidase insertion) into the stomach and Zusanli (ST36). After 4–5 days of survival following injection into twelve rats, they were perfused, and their spinal cords and brains were frozen sectioned (30 μm). These sections were stained by X-gal histochemical, CTB and PRV-Bia immunohistochemical staining methods, and examined with the light microscope. The results were as follows: Commonly labeled medulla oblongata regions were dorsal motor nucleus of vagus nerve (DMV), nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) and area postrema (AP) following injection of CTB and PRV-Ba-Gal into stomach and Zusanli, respectively. In the spinal cord, commonly labeled neurons were found in thoracic, lumbar and sacral spinal segments. Densely labeled areas were found in lamina IV, V, VII (intermediolateral nucleus) and X of the spinal cord. In the brain, commonly labeled neurons were found in the A1 noradrenalin cells/C1 adrenalin cells/caudoventrolateral reticular nucleus, dorsal motor nucleus of vagus nerve, nucleus tractus solitarius, area postrema, raphe obscurus nucleus, raphe pallidus nucleus, raphe magnus nucleus, gigantocellular nucleus, locus coeruleus, parabrachial nucleus, Kolliker-Fuse nucleus, A5 cell group, central gray matter, paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, lateral hypothalamic nucleus, retrochiasmatic hypothalamic nucleus, bed nucleus of stria terminals and amygdaloid nucleus. Thus central autonomic center project both to the stomach and Zusanli. These morphological results suggest that there is a commonality of CNS cell groups in brain controlling stomach (viscera) and Zusanli (limb).

2004 ◽  
Vol 92 (5) ◽  
pp. 2920-2932 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ranjinidevi Ambalavanar ◽  
Yasumasa Tanaka ◽  
W. Scott Selbie ◽  
Christy L. Ludlow

Swallow and cough are complex motor patterns elicited by rapid and intense electrical stimulation of the internal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (ISLN). The laryngeal adductor response (LAR) includes only a laryngeal response, is elicited by single stimuli to the ISLN, and is thought to represent the brain stem pathway involved in laryngospasm. To identify which regions in the medulla are activated during elicitation of the LAR alone, single electrical stimuli were presented once every 2 s to the ISLN. Two groups of five cats each were studied; an experimental group with unilateral ISLN stimulation at 0.5 Hz and a surgical control group. Three additional cats were studied to evaluate whether other oral, pharyngeal, or respiratory muscles were activated during ISLN stimulation eliciting LAR. We quantified ≤22 sections for each of 14 structures in the medulla to determine if regions had increased Fos-like immunoreactive neurons in the experimental group. Significant increases ( P < 0.0033) occurred with unilateral ISLN stimulation in the interstitial subnucleus, the ventrolateral subnucleus, the commissural subnucleus of the nucleus tractus solitarius, the lateral tegmental field of the reticular formation, the area postrema, and the nucleus ambiguus. Neither the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, usually active for swallow, nor the nucleus retroambiguus, retrofacial nucleus, and the lateral reticular nucleus, usually active for cough, were active with elicitation of the laryngeal adductor response alone. The results demonstrate that the laryngeal adductor pathway is contained within the broader pathways for cough and swallow in the medulla.


2018 ◽  
Vol 314 (2) ◽  
pp. R216-R227 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Stryker ◽  
D. W. Camperchioli ◽  
C. A. Mayer ◽  
W. J. Alilain ◽  
R. J. Martin ◽  
...  

The extracellular matrix (ECM) modulates brain maturation and plays a major role in regulating neuronal plasticity during critical periods of development. We examined 1) whether there is a critical postnatal period of ECM expression in brain stem cardiorespiratory control regions and 2) whether the attenuated hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) following neonatal sustained (5 days) hypoxia [SH (11% O2, 24 h/day)] exposure is associated with altered ECM formation. The nucleus tractus solitarius (nTS), dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, hypoglossal motor nucleus, cuneate nucleus, and area postrema were immunofluorescently processed for aggrecan and Wisteria floribunda agglutinin (WFA), a key proteoglycan of the ECM and the perineuronal net. From postnatal day ( P) 5 ( P5), aggrecan and WFA expression increased postnatally in all regions. We observed an abrupt increase in aggrecan expression in the nTS, a region that integrates and receives afferent inputs from the carotid body, between P10 and P15 followed by a distinct and transient plateau between P15 and P20. WFA expression in the nTS exhibited an analogous transient plateau, but it occurred earlier (between P10 and P15). SH between P11 and P15 attenuated the HVR (assessed at P16) and increased aggrecan (but not WFA) expression in the nTS, dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, and area postrema. An intracisternal microinjection of chondroitinase ABC, an enzyme that digests chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, rescued the HVR and the increased aggrecan expression. These data indicate that important stages of ECM formation take place in key brain stem respiratory neural control regions and appear to be associated with a heightened vulnerability to hypoxia.


1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (9) ◽  
pp. 1190-1194 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. A. Robertson ◽  
R. A. Leslie

The distribution in the canine medulla oblongata of binding sites for p-[3H]aminoclonidine, a ligand specific for alpha2-adrenergic receptors, was studied with light microscopic autoradiographic methods. Specific labelling was determined using unlabelled phentolamine as a displacer. The greatest density of sites was localized in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve, the area postrema, and in several regions of the nucleus tractus solitarius. Less dense binding of the radioligand was also seen in the inferior olivary nucleus. Dorsomedial regions of the nucleus tractus solitarius were the most densely labelled in this nucleus, and dorsolateral and ventral regions were much less densely labelled. The region of the nucleus tractus solitarius shown in this study to be heavily labelled with alpha2-adrenergic binding sites has been implicated in the autonomic control of blood pressure. The dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, together with the nucleus tractus solitarius, may thus represent the site of the antihypertensive action of the drug clonidine, an alpha2-adrenoreceptor agonist.


2001 ◽  
Vol 280 (2) ◽  
pp. G191-G200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Q. Sang ◽  
Raj K. Goyal

The purpose of the present study was to identify vagal subnuclei that participate in reflex swallowing in response to electrical stimulation of the left superior laryngeal nerve (SLN). SLN stimulation at 10 Hz evoked primary peristalsis, including oropharyngeal and esophageal peristalsis, and LES relaxation. It also induced c- fos expression in interneurons in the interstitial (SolI), intermediate (SolIM), central (SolCe), dorsomedial (SolDM) and commissural (SolC) solitary subnuclei. Neurons in parvicellular reticular nucleus (PCRt) and area postrema (AP) and motoneurons in the semicompact (NAsc), loose (NAl), and compact (NAc) formations of the nucleus ambiguus and both rostral (DMVr) and caudal (DMVc) parts of the dorsal motor nucleus of vagus were also activated. The activated neurons represent all neurons concerned with afferent SLN-mediated reflexes, including the swallowing-related neurons. SLN stimulation at 5 Hz elicited oropharyngeal and LES but not esophageal responses and evoked c- fos expression in neurons in SolI, SolIM, SolDM, PCRt, AP, NAsc, NAl, and DMVc but not in SolCe, NAc, or DMVr. These data are consistent with the role of SolI, SolIM, SolDM, NAsc, NAl, and DMVc circuit in oropharyngeal peristalsis and LES relaxation and SolCe, NAc, DMVc, and DMVr in esophageal peristalsis and LES responses.


Neurology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 66 (7) ◽  
pp. 1100-1102 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. J. Klos ◽  
J. E. Ahlskog ◽  
K. A. Josephs ◽  
H. Apaydin ◽  
J. E. Parisi ◽  
...  

The authors assessed the frequency of spinal cord α-synuclein pathology in neurologically asymptomatic individuals older than 60 years of age (N = 106). Using α-synuclein immunohistochemistry, nine cases (8%) had incidental Lewy neurites in the intermediolateral column and at least some α-synuclein pathology in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, locus ceruleus, and central raphe nucleus. Sparse α-synuclein pathology was also detected in the substantia nigra, basal forebrain, amygdala, or cortex in all but two cases.


1980 ◽  
Vol 238 (1) ◽  
pp. R57-R64 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Ciriello ◽  
F. R. Calaresu

Experiments were done in cats anesthetized with chloralose, paralyzed and artificially ventilated cats to obtain electrophysiological evidence on the medullary site of origin of vagal cardioinhibitory fibers. The regions of the nucleus ambiguus (AMB), dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV), nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), and external cuneate nucleus (ECN) were systematically explored for units responding both to antidromic stimulation of the cardiac branches of the vagus (CBV) and to orthodromic stimulation of the carotid sinus and aortic depressor nerves. Eighty-six single units conforming to these criteria were found in the medulla: 30 in the AMB, 26 in the DMV, 12 in the NTS, 8 in the NTS-DMV border region, and 10 in the ECN. Antidromically evoked spikes had durations of 0.5--2.5 ms and followed stimulation frequencies of 20--500 Hz. The axons of these units conducted at velocities of 3.3--20.8 m/s. The specificity of activation of medullary units by cardioinhibitory fibers was tested in 11 units, which were found to respond consistently with an antidromic spike to stimulation of CBV but not to stimulation of the thoracic vagus. In eight spinal animals low threshold (less than 15 microA) sites eliciting vagal bradycardia were found in the same medullary nuclei where cardioinhibitory units had been located. These results indicate that vagal cardioinhibitory axons, originate in at least three medullary nuclei, the AMB, DMV, and NTS. Unit activity from the ECN may have been recorded from carioinhibitory fibers because of the short duration of the spike potentials.


1993 ◽  
Vol 335 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xu-Feng Huang ◽  
George Paxinos ◽  
Paul Halasz ◽  
Deborah McRitchie ◽  
Istvan Törk

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