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Updated: Jun 5, 2026
Recordings of Neural Circuit Activation in Freely Behaving Animals
Published on: July 22, 2009
[Activation of the Mauthner cell by direct stimulation on vagus nerve in crucian carp]
1Department of Physiology, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100054, China.
Aim:
To investigate the influence of the vagus nerve on the electrophysiological properties in the Mauthner cell soma and the relationship between soma and viscus.
Methods:
The microelectrode recording technique was used to explore the electrophysiological properties in the Mauthner cell when stimulating the right vagus.
Results:
At lower stimulation strength a graded and compound excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSP), formed by two components with lower amplitude, were recorded on the Mauthner cell in a crucian carp. As the intensity of stimulus increased, the amplitude became larger and lasting time longer. With the stimulations high enough, action potentials (AP) were evoked on the EPSP.
Conclusion:
(1) Action potential can be induced on M cell by a direct stimulation on vagus nerve, which is in controversy with previous reports. (2) The neural pathway projecting from vagus to M cell is composed of a set of neuronal chains with excitatory and/or inhibitory members, the activation of M cell depends on the relationship between excitatory and inhibitory neuron.
