title: Chemical activation of C1-C2 spinal neurons modulates intercostal and phrenic nerve activity in rats.
abstract: Chemical activation of upper cervical spinal neurons modulates activity of thoracic respiratory interneurons in rats. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of chemical activation of C(1)-C(2) spinal neurons on thoracic spinal respiratory motor outflows. Electroneurograms of left phrenic (n = 23) and intercostal nerves (ICNs, n = 93) between T(3) and T(8) spinal segments were recorded from 36 decerebrated, vagotomized, paralyzed, and ventilated male rats. To activate upper cervical spinal neurons, glutamate pledgets (1 M, 1 min) were placed on the dorsal surface of the C(1)-C(2) spinal cord. Glutamate on C(1)-C(2) increased ICN tonic activity in 56/59 (95%) ICNs. The average maximal tonic activity of ICN was increased by 174% (n = 59). After spinal transection at rostral C(1), glutamate on C(1)-C(2) still increased ICN tonic activity in 33/35 ICNs. However, the effects of C(1)-C(2) glutamate on ICN phasic activity were highly variable, with observations of augmentation or suppression of both inspiratory and expiratory discharge. C(1)-C(2) glutamate augmented the average amplitude of phrenic burst by 20%, whereas the increases in amplitude of ICN inspiratory activity, when they occurred, averaged 120%. The burst rate of phrenic nerve discharge was decreased from 34.2 +/- 1.6 to 26.3 +/- 2.0 (mean +/- SE) breaths/min during C(1)-C(2) glutamate. These data suggested that upper cervical propriospinal neurons might play a role in descending modulation of thoracic respiratory and nonrespiratory motor activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, 73190, USA.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Foreman
authors.forename: Jay P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Farber
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003655:Decerebrate State / Q000503:physiopathology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D007367:Intercostal Nerves / Q000502:physiology*; D007395:Interneurons / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D009476:Neurons, Efferent / Q000187:drug effects*; D010243:Paralysis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D010791:Phrenic Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000294:innervation; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects*; D014628:Vagotomy
chemical_list: D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D018698:Glutamic Acid