Brainstem cholinergic modulation of muscle tone in infant rats

Andrew J Gall; Amy Poremba; Mark S Blumberg

doi:10.1111/j.1460-9568.2007.05566.x

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Brainstem cholinergic modulation of muscle tone in infant rats

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Brainstem cholinergic modulation of muscle tone in infant rats

Andrew J Gall, Amy Poremba and Mark S Blumberg

The European journal of neuroscience, Vol.25(11), pp.3367-3375

06/2007

DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2007.05566.x

PMCID: PMC2684827

PMID: 17553005

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Abstract

In week-old rats, lesions of the dorsolateral pontine tegmentum (DLPT) and nucleus pontis oralis (PnO) have opposing effects on nuchal muscle tone. Specifically, pups with DLPT lesions exhibit prolonged bouts of nuchal muscle atonia (indicative of sleep) and pups with PnO lesions exhibit prolonged bouts of high nuchal muscle tone (indicative of wakefulness). Here we test the hypothesis that nuchal muscle tone is modulated, at least in part, by cholinergically mediated interactions between these two regions. First, in unanesthetized pups, we found that chemical infusion of the cholinergic agonist carbachol (22 mm, 0.1 microL) within the DLPT produced high muscle tone. Next, chemical lesions of the PnO were used to produce a chronic state of high nuchal muscle tone, at which time the cholinergic antagonist scopolamine (10 mm, 0.1 microL) was infused into the DLPT. Scopolamine effectively decreased nuchal muscle tone, thus suggesting that lesions of the PnO increase muscle tone via cholinergic activation of the DLPT. Using 2-deoxyglucose autoradiography, metabolic activation throughout the DLPT was observed after PnO lesions. Finally, consistent with the hypothesis that PnO inactivation produces high muscle tone, infusion of the sodium channel blocker lidocaine (2%) into the PnO of unanesthetized pups produced rapid increases in muscle tone. We conclude that, even early in infancy, the DLPT is critically involved in the regulation of muscle tone and behavioral state, and that its activity is modulated by a cholinergic mechanism that is directly or indirectly controlled by the PnO.

Electromyography

Animals, Newborn

Lidocaine - pharmacology

Deoxyglucose - metabolism

Muscle Tonus - physiology

Rats

Acetylcholine - metabolism

Muscle Tonus - drug effects

Functional Laterality

Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Anesthetics, Local - pharmacology

Action Potentials - physiology

Carbachol - pharmacology

Scopolamine Hydrobromide - pharmacology

Tegmentum Mesencephali - drug effects

Animals

Muscarinic Antagonists - pharmacology

Brain Mapping

Tegmentum Mesencephali - metabolism

Action Potentials - drug effects

Cholinergic Agonists - pharmacology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Brainstem cholinergic modulation of muscle tone in infant rats
Creators: Andrew J Gall - Program in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
Amy Poremba
Mark S Blumberg
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: The European journal of neuroscience, Vol.25(11), pp.3367-3375
DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2007.05566.x
PMID: 17553005
PMCID: PMC2684827
NLM abbreviation: Eur J Neurosci
ISSN: 0953-816X
eISSN: 1460-9568
Publisher: France
Grant note: MH50701 / NIMH NIH HHS MH66424 / NIMH NIH HHS R29 MH050701 / NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH050701-13 / NIMH NIH HHS K02 MH066424-07 / NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH050701 / NIMH NIH HHS K02 MH066424 / NIMH NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 06/2007
Academic Unit: Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Biology
Record Identifier: 9984002361002771

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