Strychnine blockade of the non-reciprocal inhibition of trigeminal motoneurons induced by stimulation of the parvocellular reticular formation

Pablo Castillo, Cristina Pedroarena, Michael H. Chase, Francisco R. Morales

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

25 Scopus citations

Abstract

Stimulation of a region within the parvocellular medullary reticular formation (PcRF) that contains somas of premotor interneurons produces short latency inhibitory synaptic potentials (IPSPs) in cat trigeminal motoneurons. The present study was undertaken to determine whether glycinergic synapses are responsible for these IPSPs. The intravenous administration of strychnine, an established glycine antagonist, abolished these PcRF-IPSPs. This effect appears to be specific for glycinergic inhibitory synapses because the short lasting component of the IPSP produced by inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) stimulation was also abolished, whereas, in contrast, the long lasting non-glycinergic component of this IPSP was not suppressed. These results indicate that a glycinergic system in the reticular formation is responsible for the non-reciprocal postsynaptic inhibition of trigeminal motoneurons.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)346-349
Number of pages4
JournalBrain research
Volume567
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 20 1991
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Glycine
  • Motoneuron
  • Parvocellular
  • Postsynaptic inhibition
  • Reticular formation
  • Strychnine
  • Trigeminal

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Developmental Biology

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