title: Firing activity of locus coeruleus noradrenergic neurons increases in a rodent model of Parkinsonism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the changes in the firing activity of noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) in a rat model of Parkinson disease (PD).
  
  
  METHODS
  2 and 4 weeks after unilateral lesion of the nigrostriatal pathway in the rat by local injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the right substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc), the firing activity of noradrenergic neurons in LC was recorded by extracellular single unit recording.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The firing rate of LC noradrenergic neurons increased significantly 2 and 4 weeks after 6-OHDA lesions compared to normal rats, respectively (P < 0.05). The percentage of irregularly firing neurons was obviously higher than that of normal rats during the fourth week after SNc lesion (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LC noradrenergic neurons are overactive and more irregular in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats. These changes suggest an implication of the LC in the pathophysiological mechanism of PD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Xioan Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qiao-Jun
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhong-Heng
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D016627:Oxidopamine; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D016627:Oxidopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine