Nesfatin-1 is a recently discovered metabolic peptide hormone that decreases food intake after lateral, third, or fourth brain ventricle; cisterna magna; or paraventricular nucleus (PVN) injection in ad libitum fed rats. Additional micro-injection studies will improve the understanding of how nesfatin-1 acts on the brain and define specific nuclei responsive to nesfatin-1, which will provide in...

The thalamic intergeniculate leaflet (IGL) is involved in mediating effects of both photic and nonphotic stimuli on mammalian circadian rhythms. IGL neurons containing neuropeptide Y (NPY) have been implicated in mediating nonphotic effects, but little is known about those involved in photic entrainment. We used juxtacellular recording/labeling in rats to characterize both photic responses and ...

Recent studies suggest that the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) of the brainstem contains several subdivisions that differ both anatomically and neurochemically. The present study examined whether variation of c-Fos expression across the 24-hour light-dark cycle may also be different in these subdivisions. Animals were kept on a 12:12 light-dark cycle, were perfused at seven different time points, a...

Although many behavioral studies have shown the importance of antennal mechanosensation in various aspects of insect flight control, the identities of the mechanosensory neurons responsible for these functions are still unknown. One candidate is the Johnston's organ (JO) neurons that are located in the second antennal segment and detect phasic and tonic rotations of the third antennal segment r...

The dorsolateral pontine nucleus (DLPN) and nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis (NRTP) are basilar pontine nuclei important for control of eye movements. The aim of this study was to compare the response properties of neurons in DLPN and rostral NRTP (rNRTP) during visual, oculomotor, and vestibular testing. We tested 51 DLPN neurons that were modulated during smooth pursuit (23/51) or during m...

Objective(s): There are few reports have demonstrated the effect of a change-in-light experience on the structure and function of hippocampus. A change-in-light experience also affects the circadian pattern of melatonin secretion. This study aimed to investigate developmental effect of exogenous melatonin on synaptic plasticity of hippocampus of light deprived rats. Materials and Methods: The ...

Bcl-2 is a cytoplasmic protein that blocks apoptosis in a wide variety of cell types. Here we report a novel role for Bcl-2 in the early stages of neuronal development. Shortly after differentiating from progenitor cells, sensory neurons undergo a distinct morphological change; initially they have small, spindle-shaped, phase-dark cell bodies that become large, spherical, and phase-bright. Earl...

The neuropeptide orexin (also known as hypocretin) is hypothesized to play a critical role in the regulation of sleep-wake behavior. Lack of orexin produces narcolepsy, which is characterized by poor maintenance of wakefulness and intrusions of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep or REM sleep-like phenomena into wakefulness. Orexin neurons heavily innervate many aminergic nuclei that promote wakeful...