A study of cholinoceptive cells in the lateral geniculate nucleus
Abstract
1. The dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of the cat stains densely for acetylcholinesterase, which is present in intra-axonal and extracellular locations.2. Acetylcholine (ACh), cholinomimetic drugs, anticholinesterases and ACh antagonists were administered iontophoretically to neurones in the LGN.3. ACh excited eighty-six of 184 (46.7%) geniculate neurones and depressed seven (3.8%).4. The excitatory response to ACh was frequently larger than that to L-glutamate and had a comparable time course.5. There was a considerable variation in the proportion of ACh sensitive cells in different animals. ACh firing was facilitated by optic nerve or visual stimulation.6. Carbamylcholine was the most active of the choline esters tested, frequently exceeding ACh in potency. The other choline esters and nicotine were consistently less active than ACh.7. Anticholinesterases, eserine, neostigmine and edrophonium potentiated the action of ACh, and often caused excitation. Eserine caused an initial small enhancement in the amplitude of the focal potential evoked by optic nerve stimulation followed by a reduction in amplitude and prolongation of duration of the potential.8. Atropine and benzoquinonium effectively prevented the ACh excitatio...Continue Reading
Citations
Related Concepts
Related Feeds
Basal Forebrain- Circuits
Basal forebrain is a region in the brain important for production of acetylcholine and is the major cholinergic output of the CNS. Discover the latest research on circuits in the basal forebrain here.