Cortically projecting nucleus basalis neurons in rat are physiologically heterogeneous.
Cortically projecting, putatively cholinergic neurons in the area of globus pallidus (corresponding to nucleus basalis) were identified by antidromic activation from frontal cortex in anesthetized rats. These cells exhibited heterogeneous physiological properties, yielding spontaneous discharge rates of 0-40 Hz, a variety of impulse amplitudes and waveforms, and a wide range of conduction latencies from frontal cortex (1-13 ms). In addition, many cells were found to be antidromically activated from neighboring cortical sites 1-2 mm apart.
D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D005917:Globus Pallidus / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009431:Neural Conduction; D051381:Rats; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology