Hypothalamic paraventricular unit activity during labour in the rat

The spike activity of 191 antidromically identified paraventricular units was recorded during labour and the oestrous cycle of rats under urethane anaesthesia. Accelerated bursts of neuronal activity, as reported to occur during suckling, were not observed and changes in firing rate were not correlated with individual uterine contractions. There was, however, an increase in the magnitude of the mean spontaneous firing rate of antidromically identified neurosecretory cells during labour, as compared with all stages of the oestrous cycle. This increase was mainly caused by (1) a marked reduction (greater than 25%) in the percentage of totally silent cells and (2) an increase in the magnitude of the mean firing rate of the phasically firing units (1.58-3.44 spikes/s). It was concluded from these increases in spike activity that the tonic release of neurohypophysial hormones is stimulated during labour, and that this may contribute to the induction and course of labour.