title: Influence of atropine microinjection into nucleus reticularis thalami on activity of lateral geniculate nucleus neurones in freely moving rats.
abstract: The influence of the microinjection of atropine into the visual part of the nucleus reticularis thalami (TR) on flash-evoked unit responses of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) was investigated in freely moving rats. Atropine induced a significant prolongation and accentuation of the postexcitatory inhibitory phases in water-deprived trained rats, to which light flashes acted as conditioned stimuli and initiated a drinking behaviour. In satiated relaxed rats atropine did not change the unit activity significantly. Acetylcholine injected into TR caused a facilitation of the dLGN transmission. Since the decrease of flash-evoked excitatory response phases in thirsty, trained rats as compared to satiated ones could not be blocked by atropine, not all behaviourally dependent changes are mediated by a disinhibitory action of cholinergic fibres on TR.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000187:drug effects; D005829:Geniculate Bodies / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D051381:Rats; D013787:Thalamic Nuclei / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001285:Atropine