title: Properties of postsynaptic potentials evoked in hypoglossal motoneurons by inferior alveolar nerve stimulation.
abstract: The properties of excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs and IPSPs) produced in cat hypoglossal motoneurons by inferior alveolar nerve stimulation were studied. The percentage magnitude of a short- and a long-lasting component in inferior alveolar-induced IPSPs was measured by application of double shocks separated by 80- to 90-ms intervals to the inferior alveolar nerve. As a result, the protruder motoneurons received synaptic input primarily from the afferent fibers in both the ipsilateral and the contralateral inferior alveolar nerve generating the long-lasting IPSP. In addition, the retractor motoneurons received afferent fibers from the bilateral inferior alveolar nerves to generate the short- and the long-lasting IPSP. With respect to the properties of EPSPs, we have demonstrated that the amplitude of inferior alveolar-induced EPSPs decreased greatly with depolarization.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008340:Mandibular Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology; D014059:Tongue / Q000294:innervation