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Bindi RP, Guimarães CC, de Oliveira AR, Melleu FF, de Lima MAX, Baldo MVC, Motta SC, Canteras NS. Anatomical and functional study of the cuneiform nucleus: A critical site to organize innate defensive behaviors. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2023; 1521:79-95. [PMID: 36606723 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The cuneiform nucleus (CUN) is a midbrain structure located lateral to the caudal part of the periaqueductal gray. In the present investigation, we first performed a systematic analysis of the afferent and efferent projections of the CUN using FluoroGold and Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin as retrograde and anterograde neuronal tracers, respectively. Next, we examined the behavioral responses to optogenetic activation of the CUN and evaluated the impact of pharmacological inactivation of the CUN in both innate and contextual fear responses to a predatory threat (i.e., a live cat). The present hodologic evidence indicates that the CUN might be viewed as a caudal component of the periaqueductal gray. The CUN has strong bidirectional links with the dorsolateral periaqueductal gray (PAGdl). Our hodological findings revealed that the CUN and PAGdl share a similar source of inputs involved in integrating information related to life-threatening events and that the CUN provides particularly strong projections to brain sites influencing antipredatory defensive behaviors. Our functional studies revealed that the CUN mediates innate freezing and flight antipredatory responses but does not seem to influence the acquisition and expression of learned fear responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo P Bindi
- Deptarment of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Amanda R de Oliveira
- Deptarment of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernando F Melleu
- Deptarment of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Miguel A X de Lima
- Deptarment of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcus V C Baldo
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Simone C Motta
- Deptarment of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Newton S Canteras
- Deptarment of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Wang H, Liu WJ, Wang XY, Chen XQ, Cai RL, Zhang MT, Wang HT, He GW, Zhang Z, Shen GM. A central amygdala input to the dorsal vagal complex controls gastric motility in mice under restraint stress. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1074979. [PMID: 36875016 PMCID: PMC9975572 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1074979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background/aims: Psychological and physiological stress can cause gastrointestinal motility disorders. Acupuncture has a benign regulatory effect on gastrointestinal motility. However, the mechanisms underlying these processes remain unclear. Methods: Herein, we established a gastric motility disorder (GMD) model in the context of restraint stress (RS) and irregular feeding. The activity of emotional center-central amygdala (CeA) GABAergic neurons and gastrointestinal center-dorsal vagal complex (DVC) neurons were recorded by electrophysiology. Virus tracing and patch clamp analysis of the anatomical and functional connection between the CeAGABA → dorsal vagal complex pathways were performed. Optogenetics inhibiting or activating CeAGABA neurons or the CeAGABA → dorsal vagal complex pathway were used to detect changes in gastric function. Results: We found that restraint stress induced delayed gastric emptying and decreased gastric motility and food intake. Simultaneously, restraint stress activated CeA GABAergic neurons, inhibiting dorsal vagal complex neurons, with electroacupuncture (EA) reversing this phenomenon. In addition, we identified an inhibitory pathway in which CeA GABAergic neurons project into the dorsal vagal complex. Furthermore, the use of optogenetic approaches inhibited CeAGABA neurons and the CeAGABA → dorsal vagal complex pathway in gastric motility disorder mice, which enhanced gastric movement and gastric emptying, whereas activation of the CeAGABA and CeAGABA → dorsal vagal complex pathway mimicked the symptoms of weakened gastric movement and delayed gastric emptying in naïve mice. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the CeAGABA → dorsal vagal complex pathway may be involved in regulating gastric dysmotility under restraint stress conditions, and partially reveals the mechanism of electroacupuncture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wang
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (School of Life Sciences), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, China.,Hefei Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Wen-Jian Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xi-Yang Wang
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (School of Life Sciences), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xiao-Qi Chen
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (School of Life Sciences), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Rong-Lin Cai
- Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Meng-Ting Zhang
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (School of Life Sciences), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Hai-Tao Wang
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (School of Life Sciences), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Guang-Wei He
- Hefei Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Zhi Zhang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Department of Biophysics and Neurobiology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Guo-Ming Shen
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (School of Life Sciences), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, China
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Zhao DQ, Xue H, Sun HJ. Nervous mechanisms of restraint water-immersion stress-induced gastric mucosal lesion. World J Gastroenterol 2020; 26:2533-2549. [PMID: 32523309 PMCID: PMC7265141 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v26.i20.2533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress-induced gastric mucosal lesion (SGML) is one of the most common visceral complications after trauma. Exploring the nervous mechanisms of SGML has become a research hotspot. Restraint water-immersion stress (RWIS) can induce GML and has been widely used to elucidate the nervous mechanisms of SGML. It is believed that RWIS-induced GML is mainly caused by the enhanced activity of vagal parasympathetic nerves. Many central nuclei, such as the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, nucleus of the solitary tract, supraoptic nucleus and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus, central nucleus of the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex, are involved in the formation of SGML in varying degrees. Neurotransmitters/neuromodulators, such as nitric oxide, hydrogen sulfide, vasoactive intestinal peptide, calcitonin gene-related peptide, substance P, enkephalin, 5-hydroxytryptamine, acetylcholine, catecholamine, glutamate, γ-aminobutyric acid, oxytocin and arginine vasopressin, can participate in the regulation of stress. However, inconsistent and even contradictory results have been obtained regarding the actual roles of each nucleus in the nervous mechanism of RWIS-induced GML, such as the involvement of different nuclei with the time of RWIS, the different levels of involvement of the sub-regions of the same nucleus, and the diverse signalling molecules, remain to be further elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Qin Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance of Shandong Province, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, Shandong Province, China
| | - Hua Xue
- Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance of Shandong Province, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, Shandong Province, China
| | - Hai-Ji Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance of Shandong Province, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, Shandong Province, China
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Jin T, Jiang Z, Luan X, Qu Z, Guo F, Gao S, Xu L, Sun X. Exogenous Orexin-A Microinjected Into Central Nucleus of the Amygdala Modulates Feeding and Gastric Motility in Rats. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:274. [PMID: 32410931 PMCID: PMC7198841 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Orexin-A is a circulating neuropeptide and neurotransmitter that regulates food intake and gastric motility. The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), which regulates feeding behavior and gastric function, expresses the orexin-1 receptor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of microinjection of exogenous orexin-A into the CeA, on food intake and gastric motility, and to explore the mechanisms of these effects. Normal chow and high fat food (HFF) intake were measured, gastric motility and gastric emptying were evaluated, extracellular single unit firing was recorded, and c-fos expression was determined. The results showed that microinjection of orexin-A into the CeA resulted in increased HFF intake but did not affect normal chow intake. This effect was blocked by an orexin-1 receptor antagonist-SB-334867 and was partially blocked by a dopamine D1 receptor antagonist-SCH-23390. Gastric motility and gastric emptying were enhanced by orexin-A, and the former effect was abolished by subdiaphragmatic vagotomy. The firing frequency of gastric distention-related neurons was regulated by orexin-A via the orexin-1 receptor. Furthermore, c-fos expression was increased in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc), the lateral hypothalamus (LHA), and the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) in response to microinjection of orexin-A into the CeA. These findings showed that orexin-A regulated palatable food intake and gastric motility via the CeA. The LHA, the VTA, and the NAc may participate in palatable food intake and the CeA-DMV-vagus-stomach pathway may be involved in regulating gastric motility through the regulation of neuronal activity in the CeA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Jin
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhongxin Jiang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiao Luan
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhuling Qu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Feifei Guo
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Shengli Gao
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Luo Xu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiangrong Sun
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
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He F, Wang M, Geng X, Ai H. Effect of Electroacupuncture on the Activity of Corticotrophin-Releasing Hormone Neurons in the Hypothalamus and Amygdala in Rats Exposed to Restraint Water-Immersion Stress. Acupunct Med 2018; 36:394-400. [DOI: 10.1136/acupmed-2017-011450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Objective To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) treatment on gastric mucosal lesions and the activity of corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus and the central nucleus of the amygdala (CNA) in a rat model of restraint water-immersion stress (RWIS). Methods 24 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal, RWIS, and RWIS+EA (n=8 per group). Rats in the RWIS group and RWIS+EA group received RWIS for 3 hours. For rats in the RWIS+EA group, EA was applied at ST36 in the bilateral hind legs for 30 min before RWIS. Rats in the normal group did not receive stressors or EA treatment. The gastric mucosal lesions of each rat were evaluated by the erosion index (EI) according to the methods of Guth. The activity of CRH neurons in the PVN and CNA was measured by a dual immunohistochemical test for Fos and CRH in the brain sections. Results RWIS induced serious gastric mucosal lesions. The mean gastric EI was significantly decreased in the RWIS+EA group versus the RWIS group (P=0.005). Stress induced significant activation of CRH neurons in the PVN and CNA compared with the normal group (P<0.001 for both). The mean number of Fos+CRH immunoreactive neurons in the PVN and CNA were both decreased inRWIS+EA versusRWIS groups (P<0.001 and P=0.001). Conclusions EA at ST36 can ameliorate RWIS-induced gastric mucosal lesions and suppress the Fos expression of CRH neurons in the PVN and CNA, suggesting a potentially therapeutic role for EA in stress-related gastric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng He
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Min Wang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xiwen Geng
- Advanced Materials Genome Innovation Team, Advanced Materials Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Hongbin Ai
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong, China
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Altered Neuronal Activity in the Central Nucleus of the Amygdala Induced by Restraint Water-Immersion Stress in Rats. Neurosci Bull 2018; 34:1067-1076. [PMID: 30171524 PMCID: PMC6246852 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-018-0282-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Restraint water-immersion stress (RWIS), a compound stress model, has been widely used to induce acute gastric ulceration in rats. A wealth of evidence suggests that the central nucleus of the amygdala (CEA) is a focal region for mediating the biological response to stress. Different stressors induce distinct alterations of neuronal activity in the CEA; however, few studies have reported the characteristics of CEA neuronal activity induced by RWIS. Therefore, we explored this issue using immunohistochemistry and in vivo extracellular single-unit recording. Our results showed that RWIS and restraint stress (RS) differentially changed the c-Fos expression and firing properties of neurons in the medial CEA. In addition, RWIS, but not RS, induced the activation of corticotropin-releasing hormone neurons in the CEA. These findings suggested that specific neuronal activation in the CEA is involved in the formation of RWIS-induced gastric ulcers. This study also provides a possible theoretical explanation for the different gastric dysfunctions induced by different stressors.
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