Electrophysiological properties of neurons in the caudal ventrolateral medulla projecting to the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus in rats

Extracellular recordings were made from neurons in the caudal ventrolateral medulla in urethane-chloralose-anesthetized rats. Stimulation of the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in the hypothalamus evoked antidromic action potentials in 71 neurons. On the basis of antidromic spike latencies, these neurons could be divided into fast- (24 neurons) and slow-conducting cell groups (47 neurons). Slow-conducting cells showed irregular and slow spontaneous discharges, while a majority of the fast-conducting cells did not show spontaneous discharges. The spontaneous activity of slow-conducting cells was suppressed by i.v. clonidine administration. The effects of clonidine could be consistently reversed by administration of the alpha 2-adrenergic antagonist, yohimbine. The responses by clonidine and yohimbine remained unimpaired in baroreceptor-denervated rats. Vagus nerve stimulation produced an excitation in 80% of slow-conducting cells tested. Baroreceptor activation induced by i.v. administration of phenylephrine inhibited about half of slow-conducting cells tested. Similar elevation of blood pressure in baroreceptor-denervated rats did not show any effect. These physiological and pharmacological properties of slow-conducting cells were similar to those previously reported for catecholaminergic cells in other parts of the brain. The results show the existence of two different populations among neurons in the caudal ventrolateral medulla which project directly to the PVN, and suggest that the presumed A1 catecholaminergic cells are involved in the afferent pathway from cardiovascular baroreceptors and the vagus nerve to the PVN.