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Serotonin regulates rhythmic whisking.

Alexis Hattox1, Ying Li, Asaf Keller

  • 1Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology and The Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.

Neuron
|July 23, 2003
PubMed
Summary
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Serotonin (5-HT) is essential for rodent whisker movements, acting as a key component of the brainstem central pattern generator (CPG). This neurotransmitter is necessary and sufficient for generating rhythmic whisking behaviors.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Animal Behavior
  • Sensory Systems

Background:

  • Rodents use rhythmic whisker movements, known as whisking (5-9 Hz), for environmental exploration.
  • The neural circuitry, specifically a brainstem central pattern generator (CPG), regulating whisking remains largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of serotonin (5-HT) inputs to whisking facial motoneurons (wFMNs) as part of the whisking CPG.
  • To determine if serotonin is necessary and sufficient for generating rhythmic whisker movements.

Main Methods:

  • In vitro electrophysiological recordings of wFMNs in response to serotonin.
  • Application of selective serotonin receptor antagonists (5-HT2, 5-HT3) in vitro and in vivo.
  • In vivo stimulation of brainstem serotonergic raphe nuclei.

Related Experiment Videos

  • In vivo unilateral infusion of serotonin receptor antagonists to observe effects on whisking.

    • Main Results:

    • Exogenous serotonin induced rhythmic firing in wFMNs at whisking frequencies in vitro.
    • Selective 5-HT2 or 5-HT3 receptor antagonists suppressed this rhythmic firing.
    • Stimulation of raphe nuclei evoked whisker movements in vivo.
    • Antagonist infusion suppressed ipsilateral whisking and altered movement frequency and symmetry.

    Conclusions:

    • Serotonin is both necessary and sufficient for generating rhythmic whisker movements.
    • Serotonergic premotoneurons are integral components of the whisking CPG.
    • Serotonin signaling via 5-HT2 and 5-HT3 receptors is crucial for whisking motor control.