• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.133-140
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• 2004

The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the possible involvement of the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) and inferior vestibular nucleus (IVN) following acute hypotension in the vestibuloautonomic reflex through vestibulosolitary or vestibuloventrolateral projections. Acute hypotension-induced cFos expression was assessed in combination with retrograde cholera toxin B subunit (CTb) tract tracing. After injection of CTb into the solitary region, CTb-labeled neurons were located prominently around the lateral borders of the caudal MVN and medial border of the IVN. The superior vestibular nucleus also had a scattered distribution of CTb-labeled neurons. After injection of CTb toxin into the unilateral VLM, the distributions of CTb-labeled neurons in the MVN and IVN were similar to that observed after injection into the solitary region, although there were fewer CTb-labeled neurons. In the caudal MVN, about 38% and 13% of CTb-labeled neurons were double-labeled for cFos after injection of CTb into the solitary region and the VLM, respectively. In the IVN, 14% and 7% of CTb-labeled neurons were double-labeled for cFos after injection of CTb into the solitary region and the VLM, respectively. Therefore, the present study suggests that acute arterial hypotension may result in activation of vestibulosolitary pathways that mediate behavioral and visceral reflexes, and vestibuloventrolateral medullary pathways that indirectly mediate vestibulosympathetic responses.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.161-166
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• 2015

Neuronal activities of taste-responsive cells in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST) are affected by various physiological factors, such as blood glucose level or sodium imbalance. These phenomena suggest that NST taste neurons are under the influence of neural substrates that regulate nutritional homeostasis. In this study, we reviewed a series of in vivo electrophysiological investigations that demonstrate that forebrain nuclei, such as the lateral hypothalamus or central nucleus of the amygdala, send descending projections and modulate neuronal activity of gustatory neurons in the NST. These centrifugal modulations may mediate plasticity of taste response in the NST under different physiological conditions.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.169-176
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• 2009

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.603-611
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• 2021

Taste-responsive neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST), the first gustatory nucleus, often respond to thermal or mechanical stimulation. Alcohol, not a typical taste modality, is a rewarding stimulus. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of ethanol (EtOH) and/or temperature as stimuli to the tongue on the activity of taste-responsive neurons in hamster NST. In the first set of experiments, we recorded the activity of 113 gustatory NST neurons in urethane-anesthetized hamsters and evaluated responses to four basic taste stimuli, 25% EtOH, and 40℃ and 4℃ distilled water (dH₂O). Sixty cells responded to 25% EtOH, with most of them also being sucrose sensitive. The response to 25% EtOH was significantly correlated with the sucrose-evoked response. A significant correlation was also observed between sucrose- and 40℃ dH₂O- and between 25% EtOH- and 40℃ dH₂O-evoked firings. In a subset of the cells, we evaluated neuronal activities in response to a series of EtOH concentrations, alone and in combination with 32 mM sucrose (EtOH/Suc) at room temperature (RT, 22℃-23℃), 40℃, and 4℃. Neuronal responses to EtOH at RT and 40℃ increased as the concentrations increased. The firing rates to EtOH/Suc were greater than those to EtOH or sucrose alone. The responses were enhanced when solutions were applied at 40℃ but diminished at 4℃. In summary, EtOH activates most sucrose-responsive NST gustatory cells, and the concomitant presence of sucrose or warm temperatures enhance this response. Our findings may contribute to elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying appetitive alcohol consumption.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.437-443
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• 2011

Salt signals in tongue are relayed to the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST). This signaling is very important to determine whether to swallow salt-related nutrition or not and suggests some implications in discrimination of salt concentration. Salt concentration-dependent electrical responses in the chorda tympani and the NST were well reported. But salt concentration-dependency and spatial distribution of c-Fos in the NST were not well established. In the present study, NaCl signaling in the NST was studied in urethane-anesthetized rats. The c-Fos immunoreactivity in the six different NST areas along the rostral-caudal axis and six subregions in each of bilateral NST were compared between applications of distilled water and different concentrations of NaCl to the tongue of experimental animals. From this study, salt stimulation with high concentration (1.0 M NaCl) induced significantly higher c-Fos expression in intermediate NST and dorsal-medial and dorsal-middle subregions of the NST compared to distilled water stimulation. The result represents the specific spatial distribution of salt taste perception in the NST.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.275-281
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• 2015

Orthostatic hypotension is most common in elderly people, and its prevalence increases with age. Attenuation of the vestibulo-sympathetic reflex (VSR) is commonly associated with orthostatic hypotension. In this study, we investigated the role of glutamate on the vestibulo-solitary projection of the VSR pathway to clarify the pathophysiology of orthostatic hypotension. Blood pressure and expression of both pERK and c-Fos protein were evaluated in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) after microinjection of glutamate into the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) in conscious rats with sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced hypotension that received baroreceptor unloading via sinoaortic denervation (SAD). SNP-induced hypotension increased the expression of both pERK and c-Fos protein in the NTS, which was abolished by pretreatment with glutamate receptor antagonists (MK801 or CNQX) in the MVN. Microinjection of glutamate receptor agonists (NMDA or AMPA) into the MVN increased the expression of both pERK and c-Fos protein in the NTS without causing changes in blood pressure. These results indicate that both NMDA and AMPA receptors play a significant role in the vestibulo-solitary projection of the VSR pathway for maintaining blood pressure, and that glutamatergic transmission in this projection might play a key role in the pathophysiology of orthostatic hypotension.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.261-276
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• 2000

본 실험은 pseudorabies 바이러스 (PRV) 의 Bartha strain 을 안면신경의 측두지, 하지를 지배하는 신경 (좌골신경) 및 상지를 지배하는 신경 (요골, 척골, 정중신경) 에 주입한 후 4 일간의 생존시간이 경과한 후 척수와 뇌를 적출하여 동결절편을 제작한 후 면역조직화학적 염색기법과 X-gal 조직화학 염색법을 시행하여 염색된 신경세포체를 척수와 뇌에 투사된 공통영역을 관찰하고 두침의 영역중 하나인 운동구와 사지와의 관계에 대한 실험적 증거를 제시하고자 시행하였다. 위의 실험에서 얻어진 결과는 아래와 같다. 1. 안면신경의 측두지, 하지를 지배하는 신경 (좌골신경) 및 상지를 지배하는 신경 (요골, 측골, 정중신경) 에서 투사된 공통된 영역은 척수에서 경수의 층판 1-IV, 흉수의 intermediolateral nucleus(IML), dorsal nucleus(D) 및 층판 X, 요수의 층판 IV, V, 천수의 층판 IV, V, IX, X 등의 영역에서 관찰되었고, 뇌줄기에서는 caudoventrolateral reticular nucleus(CVL), nucleus solitary tract(Sol), rostroventrolateral nucleus(RVL), area postrema(AP), raphe nuclei(raphe pallidus, raphe obscurus, raphe magnus), inferior olivary nucleus 의 등쪽부분 (gigantocellular reticular nucleus, Gi), Kolliker-Fuse nucleus(KF), central gray(CG), dorsal raphe nucleus (DR) and A5 영역에 표지된다. 또한 paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus(PRV) 와 lateral hypothalamic reticular nucleus(LH)에서도 관찰되고 locus coeruleus(LC) 와 subcoeruleus nuc!eus(SubCA) 에서도 관찰된다.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.164-169
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• 1997

A case of plasmacytoma of the ovary and breast, which developed in a patient with a solitary plasmacytoma in the lumbar vertebra for nine months, was diagnosed cytologically and histologically. Enlargement of the right ovary and multiple palpable masses in the right and left breast were already present at six months after the diagnosis of vertebral solitary plasmacytoma. At eight months, plasma cell leukemia developed, and nine months the enlarged both ovaries, replaced by yellowish-gray solid tumors showed infiltration of immature plasma cells. The cytologic features of the ovarian tumors were same with those of the breast tumor. The tumor cells were of predominantly immature plasma cells with one or more nuclei. Some mature plasma cell had an eccentric nucleus with single nucleolus and peripherally clumped chromatin. Binucleated or multinucleated giant cells were often present. Histologically, sheets of poorly differentiated plasmacytoid tumor cells were separated by strands of hyaline fibrous tissue. On immunohistochemical stains, the tumor cells showed strong reactivity for lambda-light chain but no reaction for kappa-light chain, cytokeratin, or leukocyte common antigen.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.169-175
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• 2000

To learn the developmental changes in intrinsic electrophysiological properties of the second order taste neurons, whole cell recordings from the developing nucleus of the solitary tract neurons were done in brainstem slices of postnatal rats. Rats aged from postnatal 0 to 21 days (P0-P21) were used, being divided into 3 age groups: postnatal first week (P0-P7 days), second week (P8-P14 days), and third week (P15-P21 days). Slices containing gustatory NTS were cut horizontally in the thickness of $300\;{\mu}m.$ Whole cell recordings were obtained from neurons in response to a series of hyperpolarizing and depolarizing current pulses. The intrinsic electrophysiological properties of the rostral NTS (rNTS) neurons were compared among the age groups. Depolarizing current pulses evoked a train of action potentials in all neurons of all age groups. The resting membrane potential and input resistance of the neurons did not show any significant differences during the postnatal 3 weeks. The time constant, however, decreased during the development. Duration of action potential measured at half maximum amplitude was longer in younger age groups. Both the maximum rate of rise and the maximum rate of fall in the action potential increased during the first 3 weeks postnatal. Electrophysiologically more than half neurons were type III. In summary, it is suggested that developmental changes in electrophysiological properties in rNTS occur during the first three weeks in rats.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.87-99
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• 1991

In order to elucidate whether capsaicin applied topically acts as a pain-producing subastance or as a tastant, neuronal activities of the chorda tympani nerve(CN), lingual nerve(LN), solitary tract nucleus(STN), and trigeminal nucleus(TGN) were recorded while thermal and taste stimuli, and capsaicin were being applied topically, and algesics intra-arterially to the tongue of cats anesthetized with ${\alpha}-chloralsoe$. In addition, the STN neurons were examined after wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase(WGA-HRP) was applied to the CN. The CN fibers responded to taste and thermal stimuli, algesics, and capsaicin. Responses to capsaicin were significantly correlated with those to taste and thermal stimuli. The LN fibers mainly responded to mechanical and thermal stimuli, algesics, and capsaicin. Responses to capsaicin were significantly correlated with those to algesics. The STN neurons responded to taste and thermal stiumli, algesics, and capsaicin. Responses to capsaicin were significantly correlated with those to taste and thermal stiumli in somewhat different fashion from those of the CN fibers. The TGN neurons mainly responded to mechanical stimuli, algesics, and capsaicin. Correlations between responses to capsaicin and any others were not significant. After WGA-HRP was applied to the CN, the STN neurons which receive input from the CN were identified largely in the medio-ventral portion to the solitary tract. These results suggest that capsaicin produce taste as well as pain sensation. Sensory information evoked by capsaicin can be conveyed to the STN, especially medio-ventral portion, via the CN as gustatory information on the one hand, and to the STN or TGN via the LN as noxious information on the other. In addiation, the noxious information may be conveyed to the STN via the CN.