NMDA receptors are involved in temporal integration in the oculomotor system of the cat.
Spontaneous eye movements were recorded before and after a microinjection (0.1-0.2 microliter) of either APV (an NMDA receptor antagonist) or NBQX (a non-NMDA receptor antagonist) into the nucleus prepositus hypoglossi (NPH) of the alert cat. A unilateral injection of APV caused bilateral failure of the horizontal gaze-holding system: in the light, each saccade was followed by a post-saccadic drift. A unilateral injection of NBQX caused no sign of gaze-holding failure; in the light, spontaneous eye movements were unaffected; in complete darkness, a nystagmus with linear slow phases directed towards the injected side was observed. We conclude that NMDA receptors of the NPH neurones are involved in the gaze-holding system.
Mettens
P
P
Laboratory of Neurosciences, University of Mons-Hainaut, Belgium.
Cheron
G
G
Godaux
E
E
D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D003624:Darkness; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology; D009802:Oculomotor Nerve / Q000382:microbiology*; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000187:drug effects*
D011810:Quinoxalines; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; C062865:2,3-dioxo-6-nitro-7-sulfamoylbenzo(f)quinoxaline; D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate