The GABAergic neurons of the nucleus reticularis thalami that control the communication between thalamus and cortex are interconnected not only through axo-dendritic synapses but also through gap junctions and dendro-dendritic synapses. It is still unknown whether these dendritic communication processes may be triggered both by the tonic and the T-type Ca(2+) channel-dependent high frequency bu...

The effects of formalin as a peripheral noxious stimulus on the activity of lateral paragigantocellularis nucleus (LPGi) neurons were examined. Spontaneous activity ofLPGi neurons was recorded after confirmation of their responsiveness to acute pain, and thereafter formalin (50 µL, 2.5%) was injected in the contralateral hindpaw. The response of the LPGi neurons was monitored for 60 min. A...

We have studied the connections of the tectum of the rattlesnake by tectal application of horseradish peroxidase. The tectum receives bilateral input from nucleus lentiformis mesencephali, posterolateral tegmental nuclei, anterior tegmental nuclei and periventricular nuclei; ipsilateral input from nucleus geniculatus pretectalis, and lateral geniculate nucleus pars dorsalis; and contralateral i...

The cochlear root neurons (CRNs) are thought to mediate the auditory startle reflex (ASR) in the rat, which is widely used as a behavioral model for the investigation of the sensorimotor integration. CRNs project, among other targets, to the nucleus reticularis pontis caudalis (PnC), a major component of the ASR circuit, but little is known about the organization of this projection. Thus, we in...