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The Rodent Psychomotor Vigilance Test (rPVT): A Method for Assessing Neurobehavioral Performance in Rats and Mice
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Functional relationship between the hypothalamic vigilance area and PAG vigilance area
Y F Duan1, R Winters, P M McCabe
1Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124, USA.
Physiology & Behavior
|September 1, 1997
Summary
Electrical stimulation of the brain
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Autonomic Nervous System
- Behavioral Neuroscience
Background:
- The vigilance reaction, involving bradycardia and pressor response, is triggered by stimulating specific brain areas.
- These areas include the hypothalamic vigilance area (HVA) and the periaqueductal gray vigilance area (PVA).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional relationship between the HVA and PVA.
- To determine the role of the caudal ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) in mediating cardiovascular responses.
Main Methods:
- Electrical stimulation of the HVA and rostral vlPAG in rabbits.
- Selective transverse transections of the caudal vlPAG were performed.
- Cardiovascular responses (bradycardia, pressor response) were measured.
Main Results:
- Transecting the caudal vlPAG significantly reduced cardiovascular responses to rostral vlPAG stimulation.
- Stimulation of the HVA elicited cardiovascular responses with minimal impact from the transections.
- This suggests parallel neural pathways for HVA and vlPAG-mediated responses.
Conclusions:
- The periaqueductal gray (PAG) is not essential for mediating autonomic components of behavioral inhibition.
- Cardiovascular responses to vlPAG stimulation are mediated by a pathway partly parallel to the HVA pathway.
- Findings advance understanding of the neural circuitry underlying vigilance and affective behaviors.
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