HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (7) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kobayashi, T. Articles by Garcia-Rill, E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kobayashi, T. Articles by Garcia-Rill, E.

Developmental Changes in Pedunculopontine Nucleus (PPN) Neurons

Center for Translational Neuroscience, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205

Submitted 22 October 2003; accepted in final form 17 November 2003

The developmental decrease in rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep in man occurs between birth and after puberty. We hypothesize that if this decrease in REM sleep does not occur, lifelong increases in REM sleep drive may ensue. Such disorders are characterized by hypervigilance and sensory-gating deficits, such as are present in postpubertal onset disorders like schizophrenia, panic attacks (a form of anxiety disorder), and depression. The decrease in REM sleep in the rat occurs between 10 and 30 days of age. We studied changes in size and physiological properties of pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) cells involved in the control of arousal, i.e., waking and REM sleep. During the largest decrease in REM sleep (12–21 days), cholinergic PPN neurons doubled in cell area, the hypertrophy peaking at 15–16 days, then decreasing in area by 20–21 days. Noncholinergic PPN cells did not change in area during this period. We confirmed the presence of two populations of PPN neurons based on action potential (AP) duration, with the proportion of short-AP-duration cells increasing and long AP duration decreasing between 12 and 21 days. Most cholinergic and noncholinergic cells had short AP durations. Afterhyperpolarization (AHP) duration became segregated into long and short AHP duration after 15 days. Cells with short AP duration also had short AHP duration. The proportion of PPN cells with I_h current increased gradually, peaking at 15 days, then decreased by 21 days. These changes in morphological and physiological properties are discussed in relation to the developmental decrease in REM sleep.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Datta Activation of Pedunculopontine Tegmental PKA Prevents GABAB Receptor Activation-Mediated Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Suppression in the Freely Moving Rat J Neurophysiol, June 1, 2007; 97(6): 3841 - 3850. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]