Firing of 5-HT neurones in the dorsal and median raphe nucleus in vitro shows differential α1-adrenoceptor and 5-HT1A receptor modulation

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  2. Dr Sarah Judge
  3. Dr Sasha Gartside
Author(s)Judge SJ, Gartside SE
Publication type Article
JournalNeurochemistry International
Year2006
Volume48
Issue2
Pages100-107
ISSN (print)0197-0186
ISSN (electronic)1872-9754
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The median raphe nucleus and dorsal raphe nucleus together are the major source of ascending 5-HT projections. Here, using in vitro extracellular single unit electrophysiology we examined the responses of individual neurones in the rat median raphe nucleus and dorsal raphe nucleus to alpha(1)-adrenoceptor and 5-HT(1A) receptor activation and made comparisons between the two nuclei. In the presence of the alpha(1)-adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine (1uM) all spontaneously active neurones recorded in the median and dorsal raphe nuclei fired slowly (<5Hz) and regularly. Most were inhibited by 5-HT (10-50uM), although a few were excited by 5-HT. 5-HT-induced inhibition was attenuated by the 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist, WAY100635 (100nM). Compared to those in the dorsal raphe nucleus, the neurones in the median raphe nucleus which were inhibited by 5-HT had: (1) lower basal firing rates in the continuous presence of phenylephrine (1uM), (2) smaller excitatory responses to higher concentrations of phenylephrine (3-10uM), (3) smaller excitatory responses to brief application of norepinephrine (10-100microM) and (4) smaller inhibitory responses to 5-HT (10-50uM). The lower sensitivity of median raphe neurones to alpha(1)-adrenoceptor excitation and 5-HT(1A) receptor inhibition will have consequences for 5-HT neurotransmission in forebrain regions innervated by the two nuclei.
PublisherElsevier
URLhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuint.2005.09.003
DOI10.1016/j.neuint.2005.09.003
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