HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Griffin, J. D. Articles by Boulant, J. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Griffin, J. D. Articles by Boulant, J. A.

Synaptic and morphological characteristics of temperature-sensitive and -insensitive rat hypothalamic neurones

John D. Griffin *†, Clifford B. Saper † and Jack A. Boulant *

1. Intracellular recordings were made from neurones in rat hypothalamic tissue slices, primarily in the preoptic area and anterior hypothalamus, a thermoregulatory region that integrates central and peripheral thermal information. The present study compared morphologies and local synaptic inputs of warm-sensitive and temperature-insensitive neurones.
2. Warm-sensitive neurones oriented their dendrites perpendicular to the third ventricle, with medial dendrites directed toward the periventricular region and lateral dendrites directed toward the medial forebrain bundle. In contrast, temperature-insensitive neurones generally oriented their dendrites parallel to the third ventricle.
3. Both warm-sensitive and temperature-insensitive neurones displayed excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs). In most cases, EPSP and IPSP frequencies were not affected by temperature changes, suggesting that temperature-insensitive neurones are responsible for most local synapses within this hypothalamic network.
4. Two additional neuronal groups were identified: silent neurones having no spontaneous firing rates and EPSP-driven neurones having action potentials that are primarily dependent on excitatory synaptic input from nearby neurones. Silent neurones had the most extensive dendritic trees, and these branched in all directions. In contrast, EPSP-driven neurones had the fewest dendrites, and usually the dendrites were oriented in only one direction (either medially or laterally), suggesting that these neurones receive more selective synaptic input.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. L. Wright, P. W. Burgoon, G. A. Bishop, and J. A. Boulant Cyclic GMP alters the firing rate and thermosensitivity of hypothalamic neurons Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, May 1, 2008; 294(5): R1704 - R1715. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. L. Wright and J. A. Boulant Carbon dioxide and pH effects on temperature-sensitive and -insensitive hypothalamic neurons J Appl Physiol, April 1, 2007; 102(4): 1357 - 1366. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. A. Romanovsky Thermoregulation: some concepts have changed. Functional architecture of the thermoregulatory system Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, January 1, 2007; 292(1): R37 - R46. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Wechselberger, C. L. Wright, G. A. Bishop, and J. A. Boulant Ionic channels and conductance-based models for hypothalamic neuronal thermosensitivity Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, September 1, 2006; 291(3): R518 - R529. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Kobayashi, A. Hori, K. Matsumura, H. Hosokawa, and J. A. Boulant Point-Counterpoint: Heat-induced membrane depolarization of hypothalamic neurons: a putative/an unlikely mechanism of central thermosensitivity Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, May 1, 2006; 290(5): R1479 - R1484. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. A. Boulant Neuronal basis of Hammel's model for set-point thermoregulation J Appl Physiol, April 1, 2006; 100(4): 1347 - 1354. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. H. van den Burg, R. R. Peeters, M. Verhoye, J. Meek, G. Flik, and A. Van der Linden Brain Responses to Ambient Temperature Fluctuations in Fish: Reduction of Blood Volume and Initiation of a Whole-Body Stress Response J Neurophysiol, May 1, 2005; 93(5): 2849 - 2855. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Zhao and J. A Boulant Temperature effects on neuronal membrane potentials and inward currents in rat hypothalamic tissue slices J. Physiol., April 1, 2005; 564(1): 245 - 257. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. V. Tabarean, M. M. Behrens, T. Bartfai, and H. Korn Prostaglandin E2-increased thermosensitivity of anterior hypothalamic neurons is associated with depressed inhibition PNAS, February 24, 2004; 101(8): 2590 - 2595. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]