NEUROTRANSMITTER ACTIONS ON ORAL PONTINE TEGMENTAL NEURONS OF THE RAT- AN IN-VITRO STUDY

The actions of neurotransmitters involved in the sleep-wakefulness cyc le on neurons located in the ventral part of the oral pontine tegmentu m were studied in a rat brain-slice preparation. Results show that glu tamate and histamine evoke depolarizations and spike firing while sero tonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid evoke hyperpolarizations. The excita tory and inhibitory actions of these neurotransmitters increase pontin e neuron activity during the conditions occurring during paradoxical s leep. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.