Excitatory action of hypocretin/orexin on neurons of the central medial amygdala |
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Authors: | Bisetti A Cvetkovic V Serafin M Bayer L Machard D Jones B E Mühlethaler M |
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Institution: | Département des Neurosciences Fondamentales, Centre Médical Universitaire, 1 rue Michel-Servet, 1211 Genève 4, Switzerland. |
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Abstract: | The neurons of the lateral hypothalamus that contain hypocretin/orexin (hcrt/orx) are thought to promote arousal through the excitatory action they exert on the multiple areas to which they project within the CNS. We show here that the hcrt/orx peptides can also exert a strong action on the amygdala, a structure known for its implication in emotional aspects of behavior. Indeed, the hcrt/orx peptides, applied in acute rat brain slices, excite a specific class of "low threshold burst" neurons in the central medial (CeM) nucleus which is considered as a major output of the amygdala. These excitatory effects are postsynaptic, mediated by Hcrt2/OX2 receptors and result from the closure of a potassium conductance. They occur on a class of neurons that are also excited by vasopressin acting through V1a receptors. These results suggest that the hcrt/orx system can act through the amygdala to augment arousal and evoke the autonomic and behavioral responses associated with fear, stress or emotion. |
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Keywords: | stress arousal sleep wakefulness hypothalamus peptide |
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