AJP - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, Vol 243, Issue 5 480-R490, Copyright © 1982 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Effect of synaptic blockade on thermosensitive neurons in hypothalamic tissue slices

S. R. Kelso and J. A. Boulant

To understand the basis of hypothalamic neuronal thermosensitivity, single-unit activity was recorded in vitro, from constantly perfused tissue slices of rat preoptic area and anterior hypothalamus, PO/AH. The firing rate and thermosensitivity of individual PO/AH neurons was determined before, during, and after tissue perfusion with a synaptic blocking medium, containing elevated magnesium and decreased calcium concentrations. During synaptic blockade, thermosensitivity was retained in nearly all of the warm-sensitive neurons, and some temperature-insensitive neurons showed increased warm sensitivity. The thermosensitivity of all cold-sensitive neurons was lost during synaptic blockade. These results support the hypothesis that PO/AH cold-sensitive neurons depend on synapses from nearby warm-sensitive neurons for their temperature sensitivity; whereas warm sensitivity is an independent property of certain PO/AH neurons.

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