Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Brainstem projections to the rat cuneate nucleus.

R J Weinberg1, A Rustioni

  • 1Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599.

The Journal of Comparative Neurology
|April 1, 1989
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The distribution of phosphodiesterase 2A in the rat brain.

Neuroscience·2012
Same author

The psychiatric disease risk factors DISC1 and TNIK interact to regulate synapse composition and function.

Molecular psychiatry·2010
Same author

A plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase isoform at the postsynaptic density.

Neuroscience·2010
Same author

Spatial organization of cofilin in dendritic spines.

Neuroscience·2006
Same author

Modulation of sensory input to the spinal cord by presynaptic ionotropic glutamate receptors.

Archives italiennes de biologie·2005
Same author

Substance P and nitric oxide signaling in cerebral cortex: anatomical evidence for reciprocal signaling between two classes of interneurons.

The Journal of comparative neurology·2001

Descending inhibition pathways to the dorsal column nuclei are crucial for sensory processing. This study reveals that direct brainstem projections to the cuneate nucleus are sparser than previously thought, suggesting local neurons may be key.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Anatomy
  • Sensory Pathways

Background:

  • Neurons in the pontomedullary tegmentum are hypothesized as a final common pathway for descending inhibition in dorsal column nuclei.
  • Understanding the anatomical basis of these descending effects is essential for mapping sensory processing pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the brainstem projections to the cuneate nucleus in rats.
  • To clarify the anatomical substrate for descending inhibitory effects on dorsal column nuclei.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized lectin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase injections for retrograde and anterograde tracing in rat brains.
  • Performed iontophoretic and pressure injections targeting the cuneate nucleus and pontomedullary tegmentum.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Identified intrinsic reciprocal projections within the cuneate nucleus.
  • Labeled neurons in the red nucleus, trigeminal, vestibular, and cochlear nuclei.
  • Observed sparse direct projections from the pontomedullary tegmentum to the dorsal column nuclei, with denser labeling ventral to them.

Conclusions:

  • Confirms modulation of cuneate neuron activity by brainstem sensory nuclei.
  • Suggests direct projections from pontine and rostral medullary regions to the cuneate nucleus are sparser than previously assumed.
  • Proposes that GABAergic neurons adjacent to or within the dorsal column nuclei may form the final link in descending inhibitory pathways.