Pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus-induced inhibition of muscle activity in the rat

The connections of the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPN) have led us to propose that this structure mediates striatally induced inhibition of muscle activity by directing basal ganglia output to an inhibitory reticulospinal system (nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis and ventralis, nrGi-V). We conducted experiments in order to examine the effects of electrical stimulation of the PPN on the activity of selected neck and shoulder muscles. PPN stimulation at low rates (0.1 Hz) elicited bilateral muscle excitation. As the rate of stimulation was increased (e.g. to 10 Hz), less excitation was observed. Anodal DC current inactivation of the nrGi-V during concurrent 10 Hz PPN stimulation resulted in an augmentation of muscle activity above the levels observed during 10 Hz PPN stimulation alone. PPN stimulation (10 Hz) also profoundly inhibited cortically-induced muscle activity. Further support for our proposal stems from increased baseline activity (0.1 Hz PPN-induced excitation) in animals with ibotenic acid lesions of the PPN as compared to normal animals. Apparently, destruction of the PPN releases the musculature from tonic and/or phasic inhibition. A model is discussed which attempts to account for both the rate-dependent changes in excitation and the inhibition of cortically induced muscle activity.