Serotoninergic innervation of stapedial and tensor tympani motoneurons.
Retrograde tracing and neurotransmitter immunohistochemistry were combined to determine whether serotonin neurons innervated stapedial and tensor tympani motoneurons. With high-power light microscopy, putative axo-somatic and axo-dendritic contacts were observed between serotonin-positive endings and both stapedial and tensor tympani motoneurons, indicating that serotonin neurons terminate on brainstem motoneurons innervating the middle-ear muscles. With this connection, the serotonin system may directly modulate middle-ear muscle activity.
Thompson
A M
AM
Dept. of Otorhinolaryngology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73190, USA. thompa@orthomsm.net.uokhsc.edu
Thompson
G C
GC
Britton
B H
BH
D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D013198:Stapedius / Q000166:cytology / Q000294:innervation*; D013719:Tensor Tympani / Q000166:cytology / Q000294:innervation*
D012701:Serotonin