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Facial Nerve Axotomy in Mice: A Model to Study Motoneuron Response to Injury
Published on: February 23, 2015
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibits physiologically identified dorsal motor nucleus neurons in vivo
Gregory S Emch1, Gerlinda E Hermann, Richard C Rogers
1Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
Abstract:
Our previous studies have shown that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) activates solitary nucleus neurons involved in vago-vagal reflex control of gastric motility. Here, we describe the dual role of TNF-alpha as also modulating neurons in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMN) that respond to gastric distention. A large majority of physiologically identified DMN neurons are rapidly and completely inhibited by exposure to TNF-alpha, suggesting that TNF-alpha may induce gastric stasis by functioning as a hormone that modulates both portions of this reflex pathway during illness.
