Cholinergic and glutamatergic transmission in medial vestibular nucleus neurons responding to lateral roll tilt in rats

Muscarinic receptor subtypes differentially control synaptic input and excitability of cerebellum-projecting medial vestibular nucleus neurons

Neurons in the vestibular nuclei have a vital function in balance maintenance, gaze stabilization, and posture. Although muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) are expressed and involved in regulating vestibular function, it remains unclear how individual mAChR subtypes regulate vestibular neuronal activity. In this study, we determined which specific subtypes of mAChRs control synaptic input and excitability of medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) neurons that project to the cerebellum. Cerebellum-projecting MVN neurons were labeled by a fluorescent retrograde tracer and then identified in rat brainstem slices. Quantitative PCR analysis suggested that M2 and M3 were the possible major mAChR subtypes expressed in the MVN. The mAChR agonist oxotremorine-M significantly reduced the amplitude of glutamatergic excitatory post-synaptic currents evoked by stimulation of vestibular primary afferents, and this effect was abolished by the M2-preferring antagonist AF-DX 116. However, oxotremorine-M had no effect on GABA-mediated spontaneous inhibitory post-synaptic currents of labeled MVN neurons. Furthermore, oxotremorine-M significantly increased the firing activity of labeled MVN neurons, and this effect was blocked by the M3-preferring antagonist J104129 in most neurons tested. In addition, AF-DX 116 reduced the onset latency and prolonged the excitatory effect of oxotremorine-M on the firing activity of labeled MVN neurons. Our findings suggest that M3 is the predominant post-synaptic mAChR involved in muscarinic excitation of cerebellum-projecting MVN neurons. Pre-synaptic M2 mAChR regulates excitatory glutamatergic input from vestibular primary afferents, which in turn influences the excitability of cerebellum-projecting MVN neurons. This new information has important therapeutic implications for treating vestibular disorders with mAChR subtype-selective agents. Medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) neurons projecting to the cerebellum are involved in balance control. We found that activation of pre-synaptic M2 muscarinic receptors inhibit glutamatergic input from vestibular primary afferents, whereas stimulation of post-synaptic M3 muscarinic receptors increases the firing activity of cerebellum-projecting MVN neurons. This new information advances our understanding of the cholinergic mechanism regulating the vestibular system.

Effect of daily linear acceleration training on the hypergravity-induced vomiting response in house musk shrew (Suncus murinus)

The effects of repeated linear acceleration training and the antimotion sickness drug, promethazine, on hypergravity-induced motion sickness were examined in musk shrew (Suncus murinus), which is known to show a vomiting response to motion stimulation. Animals were assigned into five groups: vestibular intact, untreated animals (Sham), vestibular lesioned (VL) animals, vestibular intact animals with promethazine hydrochloride administered as daily drinking water (Prom), vestibular intact animals who underwent horizontal linear accelerator motion training (Train), and vestibular intact animals treated with both promethazine hydrochloride and linear acceleration training (Prom+Train). In Sham animals, the number of vomiting episodes was 14±2 during 2 G exposure for 10min, and was accompanied by intense Fos expression in the medial vestibular nucleus (MVe), the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), the area postrema (AP), and the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN). The vomiting response and Fos expression were completely abolished in VL animals, indicating that these responses are mediated via the vestibular system. Although Train and Prom animals experienced a significantly reduced number of hypergravity-induced vomiting episodes compared with Sham animals, the effect was significantly greater in Train animals than in Prom animals. Fos expression in the NTS, AP, and PVN were significantly more reduced in Train animals than in Prom animals. Higher dose of bolus injection of promethazine (50mg/kg, i.p.) completely abolished the vomiting episodes, although the animals were drowsy and sedated due to side effects. In conclusion, daily linear acceleration training and promethazine could prevent the hypergravity-induced vomiting episodes.

Firing properties and classification of MVN neurons in rats

In order to know the effects of caloric stimulation on neuronal firing in medial vestibular nuclei (MVN) by middle ear irrigation, the middle ear was irrigated with ice (4 degrees C), hot (44 degrees C), and warm (37 degrees C) water, and the firing rate of MVN neuron was extracellularly recorded. The results showed that the firing rate of MVN neuron was changed by caloric stimulation, and the majority of MVN neurons showed excitation by irrigation with hot water and inhibition by ice water (type A). The neuronal firing was recovered immediately after the cessation of the stimulation. I It was concluded that the neuronal firing rate in MVN was changed by caloric stimulation in middle ear cavity. The response was different in various neurons.

Role of the vestibular nuclei in endothelin-1-induced barrel rotation in rats

The fourth or lateral ventricular injection of endothelin-1 resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the barrel rotation and produced marked induction of c-Fos-positive cells in the vestibular nuclei. The doses of the former injection were lower and had shorter mean latent periods compared with the later injection. c-Fos expression after endothelin-1 injection was prevented by the pretreatment with the endothelin ET(A) receptor antagonist, cyclo(D-alpha-aspartyl-L-propyl-D-valyl-L-leucyl-D-tryptophyl) (BQ-123), the glutamate NMDA receptor antagonist, dizocilpine maleate (MK-801), or the L-type Ca(2+) channel antagonist, verapamil, in addition to the incidence of the rotational behavior. There was a significant difference in c-Fos expression between the right and left medial vestibular nuclei, and the number of c-Fos-labeled neurons in the medial vestibular nucleus was markedly increased on the opposite side of the rotational direction. These results suggest that the elicitation of the barrel rotation may be mediated by endothelin ET(A) receptors, glutamate NMDA receptors, and L-type Ca(2+) channels. The changes in the receptor and channel systems induced by endothelin-1 injections appeared to exert crucial influences on the vestibular nuclei and then on the maintenance of equilibrium. The direction of the barrel rotation has a deep connection with the imbalance of neuronal activity in the left and right medial vestibular nuclei.

Activation of different vestibular subnuclei evokes differential respiratory and pressor responses in the rat

Activation of the vestibular system can either increase or decrease ventilation. The objectives of the present study were to clarify whether these different responses are the result of activating different vestibular subnuclei, by addressing three questions. Do neurones within the medial, lateral and spinal vestibular nuclei (VN(M), VN(L) and VN(S), respectively) function differently in respiratory modulation? Is the ventral medullary nucleus gigantocellularis (NGC) required to fully express the VN-mediated respiratory responses? Is glutamate, by acting on N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors in the vestibular subnuclei, capable of modulating respiration? In anaesthetized, tracheotomized and spontaneously breathing rats, electrical stimuli (< 10 s) applied in the VN(L) and VN(S) significantly elevated ventilation by 35 % and 30 % (P < 0.05), respectively. However, VN(M) stimulation produced statistically significant (P < 0.05) changes that differed depending upon the stimulation site: either ventilatory inhibition (by 40 % in 57 % of the trials) or excitation (by 55 % in 43 % of trials), and which were often accompanied by a pressor response. These electrical-stimulation-evoked cardiorespiratory responses were almost eliminated following microinjection of ibotenic acid into the stimulation sites (P < 0.05) or bilaterally into the NGC (P < 0.05). As compared to vehicle, microinjection of NMDA into the unilateral VN(M), VN(L) and VN(S) significantly increased ventilation to 74 %, 58 % and 60 % (P < 0.05), respectively, with no effect on arterial blood pressure. These data suggest that neurones within the vestibular subnuclei play different roles in cardiorespiratory modulation, and that the integrity of the NGC is essential for the full expression of these VN-mediated responses. The evoked respiratory excitatory responses are probably mediated by glutamate acting on NMDA receptors, whereas the neurotransmitters involved in VN(M)-mediated respiratory inhibition and hypertension remain unknown.

Primary neurotransmitters and regulatory substances onto vestibular nucleus neurons

This review article focused on the primary neurotransmitters involved in transmission from the otolith to the vestibular nucleus (VN), especially in relation to the neurotransmission to the VN neurons (gravity-sensitive neurons) activated by tilt stimulation. The medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) neurons were classified in 8 types (alpha-theta) according to the patterns in response to the clockwise and counterclockwise tilt-stimulations. The tilt-induced firing was inhibited by GDEE (a non-selective glutamate receptor antagonist) and/or atropine (a muscarinic receptor antagonist). Thus, glutamate and/or acetylcholine may serve as the primary neurotransmitters. This conclusion is supported by the previous findings that glutamate exists in the vestibular nerve and is released from the nerve besides the presence of glutamate receptor subtypes in the VN. In addition, acetylcholine induced atropine-reversible firing of MVN neurons, and the enzymes involved in acetylcholine synthesis/metabolism are also found in the VN. Furthermore, serotonin was found to inhibit the MVN neuronal activities via the 5-HT1A receptors. As such, the 5-HT1A agonist, tandospirone, may be effective in preventing and/or treating motion sickness and/or space sickness.

Influence of serotonin on the glutamate-induced excitations of secondary vestibular neurons in the rat

The excitatory responses evoked by glutamate and its agonists in secondary vestibular neurons of the rat were studied during microiontophoretic application of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). Ejection of 5-HT modified neuronal responsiveness to glutamate in 86% of the studied units, the effect being a depression of the excitatory responses in two-thirds of cases and an enhancement in the remaining third. 5-HT was also effective in modifying 94% of the responses evoked by N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA), inducing a depressive effect in 76% of cases and an enhancement in the remaining ones. Quisqualate-evoked effects were depressed and enhanced by 5-HT in about the same number of cases; in contrast, kainate-evoked responses were enhanced. The depressive action of 5-HT was mimicked by application of alpha-methyl-5-hydroxytryptamine (alpha-Me-5-HT), a 5-HT(2) receptor agonist, whereas the enhancing effect could be evoked by application of 8-hydroxy-2(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT), a selective 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist. The 5-HT(2) receptor antagonist ketanserin was able to reduce, but not to block totally, the depressive action of 5-HT on glutamate- or NMDA-evoked responses. No significant difference was detected between neuronal responses in the lateral and the superior vestibular nucleus. These results indicate that 5-HT is able to modulate the responsiveness of secondary vestibular neurons to excitatory amino acids. Its action is mostly depressive, involves 5-HT(2) receptors, and is exerted on NMDA receptors. A minor involvement of other 5-HT receptors (at least 5-HT(1A)) and other glutamate receptors (for quisqualate and kainate) in the modulatory action of 5-HT is plausible.

Inhibitory effects of tandospirone, a 5-HT1A agonist, on medial vestibular nucleus neurons responding to lateral roll tilt stimulation in rats

An electrophysiological study was performed using chloral hydrate-anesthetized rats to determine whether tandospirone, a 5-HT1A agonist, affects neuronal activities of the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN), since serotonergic innervation and 5-HT1A receptors are present in this nucleus. Tandospirone applied microiontophoretically at a current of 20-60 nA caused an inhibition of tilt-induced firing of alpha-type neurons, which showed increased and decreased firing with lateral tilt ipsilateral and contralateral to the recording site, respectively, along with that of beta-type neurons which exhibited the reverse responses to ipsilateral and contralateral tilt stimulation. The inhibition was antagonized during simultaneous, iontophoretic application of WAY-100635 (20-60 nA), a 5-HT1A receptor antagonist, although WAY-100635 alone rarely affected spontaneous or tilt-induced firing in either type of neurons. These results suggest that tandospirone acts on a 5-HT1A receptor to inhibit transmission of otolith information to alpha- and beta-type MVN neurons.