title: Sleep-related variations of membrane potential in the lateral geniculate body relay neurons of the cat.
abstract: Membrane potential of lateral geniculate body relay neurons was monitored in chronic cats during the sleep-waking cycle. Neurons were tonically depolarized throughout paradoxical (P) sleep and the maximal level of polarization occurred during slow (S) sleep (mean difference of membrane potential between S and P sleep: + 10.2 +/- 1.3 mV, n = 6, range: 8-12 mV). Some features of the spontaneous activity of S and P sleep are briefly discussed in relation to the level of membrane potential. In particular it is suggested that the phasic depolarizations underlying the bursts of action potentials during S sleep, and which are reproduced retinal cell axons impinging upon the hyperpolarized membrane.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D002415:Cats; D005829:Geniculate Bodies / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000502:physiology; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000502:physiology*; D012895:Sleep, REM / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000502:physiology