Electrophysiological response of neurons of the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus to the stimulation of the nucleus accumbens in the rat

✍ Scribed by J.M. Salmerón; G. Escames; J.M. Pérez-Jaranay; F. Vives

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 370 KB
• Volume: 19
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0893-6609
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1520-6769(199609)19:2<109::aid-nrc170>3.0.co;2-3

✦ Synopsis

The neural connections from the nucleus accumbens to the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus were investigated in urethane-anesthetized rats. Extracellular recordings were made from 84 spontaneously firing neurons in the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus while the nucleus accumbens was electrically stimulated. The most frequent response to nucleus accumbens stimulation was inhibition of the firing rate of the neurons with orthodromic response (mean latency: 13.5 f 1.9 ms). A low percentage (16.6%) of neurons showed excitatory response followed by an inhibitory period (mean latency: 3.5 f 1.2 ms). These electrophysiological results demonstrate the existence of connections between the nucleus accumbens and the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus. These projections have an inhibitory role in the spontaneous activity of mediodorsal neurons and they may play a modulatory role in motivational behaviors and cognitive functions.