title: Cardiovascular input to hypothalamic neurosecretory neurons.
abstract: In vivo extracellular recordings from rat supraoptic and paraventricular magnocellular neurosecretory cells (MNCs) indicate that putative vasopressin-secreting MNCs may be identified by an abrupt and brief cessation in firing consequent to a transient drug-induced rise in arterial pressure sufficient to activate arterial baroreceptors. In the diagonal band of Broca (DBB), a population of neurons projecting towards the supraoptic nucleus are activated during this drug-induced hypertension. Electrical stimulation in DBB selectively depresses supraoptic vasopressin-secreting MNCs. Intracellular recordings in perfused hypothalamic explants confirm a DBB-evoked bicuculline-sensitive and chloride-dependent postsynaptic inhibition, similar to that associated with the application of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in approximately half of supraoptic MNCs. Since bicuculline also selectively blocks baroreceptor-induced inhibition in supraoptic MNCs, it is proposed that the depressant baroreflex input to vasopressin-secreting MNCs involves a population of DBB neurons and GABAergic interneurons located close to MNCs. An excitatory and selective input to vasopressin-secreting MNCs follows chemoreceptor activation, possibly mediated by the A1 noradrenergic cell group in the ventrolateral medulla. Another excitatory input to both vasopressin- and oxytocin-secreting MNCs is triggered by circulating angiotensin II and appears to be relayed centrally through an angiotensinergic projection from the subfornical organ.
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D002628:Chemoreceptor Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000378:metabolism; D011311:Pressoreceptors / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014667:Vasopressins; D010121:Oxytocin