title: In vivo patch-clamp recording from locus coeruleus neurones in the rat brainstem.
abstract: Locus coeruleus (LC) neurones extend noradrenergic projections throughout the neuroaxis and are involved in homeostatic functions such as pain modulation, arousal and cardio-respiratory control. To address the cellular mechanisms underlying pain modulation we have developed a patch-clamp recording technique from LC neurones in anaesthetized rats. These recordings showed LC discharge in vivo to be driven by both spontaneous membrane potential oscillations and CNQX-sensitive EPSCs opposed by bicuculine-sensitive IPSCs. Hindlimb pinch evoked a biphasic action potential response underpinned by a slow monophasic excitatory current. This approach allows detailed characterisation of the synaptic and integrative mechanisms of LC responses to naturalistic stimulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Information Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8787, Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Sung Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Hur
authors.forename: Anthony E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Pickering
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kase
authors.forename: Sang Jeong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Mikito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawamata
authors.forename: Keiji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Imoto
authors.forename: Hidemasa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Furue
mesh_terms: D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001640:Bicuculline / Q000494:pharmacology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D058787:GABA-A Receptor Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D053444:Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D058787:GABA-A Receptor Antagonists; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione; D001640:Bicuculline