The basal ganglia function in motor control. Signals originating in the sensorimotor cortex are processed in the basal and then forwarded to other brain areas. Recent literature and our studies indicate that there are two parallel pathways between the sensorimotor cortex and the major output centers of the basal ganglia (i.e., pallidum and substantia nigra (SN)). One of the pathways involves the striatum (Str) and the other the subthalamic nucleus (STH). Since the importance of the striatal pathway has been well recognized, extensive electrophysiological study have been performed. On the other hand, the STH pathway has received less attention, and electrophysiological observations made on this pathway are controversial.
The aim of this proposal is to study electrophysiological properties of STH and Str inputs to the pallidum and SN and the morphological characteristics of neurons recorded in these nuclei. The major questions to study are the following: 1) What is the postsynaptic action of the subthalamic inputs to the pallidum and SN? 2) How are the cortically derived striatal input and cortically derived STH input summated on pallidal and SN neurons? 3) What is the function of neuropeptides (enkephalin, substance P, substance K and dynorphin) localized in striato-pallidal and striato-SN systems? 4) What is the morphology of electrophysiologically identified neurons in the pallidum and SN? These questions will be studied, in anesthetized rats, using a combination of techniques including extracellular unit recording, intracellular recording, intracellular labeling with horseradish peroxidase, local application of agonists and antagonists of putative neuroactive substances, and electrical and chemical stimulation. Horseradish peroxidase reaction and immunocytochemistry of neuroactive substances will be performed on the recorded brain tissue after fixation. The intracellularly labeled and immunocytochemically labeled neuronal profiles will be analyzed at light and electron microscopic levels.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS025783-04
Application #
3411237
Study Section
Neurology A Study Section (NEUA)
Project Start
1988-02-01
Project End
1992-01-31
Budget Start
1991-02-01
Budget End
1992-01-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
1991
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
941884009
City
Memphis
State
TN
Country
United States
Zip Code
38163
Kita, H (1996) Glutamatergic and GABAergic postsynaptic responses of striatal spiny neurons to intrastriatal and cortical stimulation recorded in slice preparations. Neuroscience 70:925-40
Kita, H; Yamada, H; Tanifuji, M et al. (1995) Optical responses recorded after local stimulation in rat neostriatal slice preparations: effects of GABA and glutamate antagonists, and dopamine agonists. Exp Brain Res 106:187-95
Kita, H (1994) Parvalbumin-immunopositive neurons in rat globus pallidus: a light and electron microscopic study. Brain Res 657:31-41
Naito, A; Kita, H (1994) The cortico-nigral projection in the rat: an anterograde tracing study with biotinylated dextran amine. Brain Res 637:317-22
Naito, A; Kita, H (1994) The cortico-pallidal projection in the rat: an anterograde tracing study with biotinylated dextran amine. Brain Res 653:251-7
Kita, H; Kitai, S T (1994) The morphology of globus pallidus projection neurons in the rat: an intracellular staining study. Brain Res 636:308-19
Fujimoto, K; Kita, H (1993) Response characteristics of subthalamic neurons to the stimulation of the sensorimotor cortex in the rat. Brain Res 609:185-92
Kita, H (1993) GABAergic circuits of the striatum. Prog Brain Res 99:51-72
Fujimoto, K; Kita, H (1992) Responses of rat substantia nigra pars reticulata units to cortical stimulation. Neurosci Lett 142:105-9
Kita, H (1992) Responses of globus pallidus neurons to cortical stimulation: intracellular study in the rat. Brain Res 589:84-90

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