Brainstem origins of glutamatergic innervation of the rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus

Glutamatergic Innervation of the Supraoptic Nucleus, the Paraventricular Nucleus and the Supramamillary Nucleus of the Rat

Glutamatergic innervation of corticotropin-releasing hormone- and thyrotropin-releasing hormone-synthesizing neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of the rat.

Glutamate plays a role in the central regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and thyroid (HPT) axes. Until the recent discovery of vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUT1-3), there was no specific tool for the examination of the putative morphological relationship between the glutamatergic and the hypophysiotropic systems. Using antisera against VGLUT2, corticotropin-releasing ...

Noradrenergic excitation of magnocellular neurons in the rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus via intranuclear glutamatergic circuits.

Noradrenergic projections to the hypothalamus play a critical role in the afferent control of oxytocin and vasopressin release. Recent evidence for intrahypothalamic glutamatergic circuits prompted us to test the hypothesis that the excitatory effect of noradrenergic inputs on oxytocin and vasopressin release is mediated in part by local glutamatergic interneurons. The voltage response to norep...

Orexin depolarizes rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus neurons.

Orexins, also called hypocretins, are newly discovered hypothalamic peptides that are thought to be involved in various physiological functions. In spite of the fact that orexin receptors, especially orexin receptor 2, are abundant in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), the effects of orexins on PVN neurons remain unknown. Using a whole cell patch-clamp recording technique, we inves...

Leptin depolarizes rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus neurons.

Leptin, the protein product of the ob/ obgene, is thought to have a central site of action, presumably within the hypothalamus, through which it regulates feeding behavior. The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is one structure that has been implicated in regulating feeding behavior. Using patch-clamp recording techniques, this study examines the direct membrane effects of leptin on neurons in a co...