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1 Ctr. for Translational Neurosci., Univ. Arkansas for Med. Sci., Little Rock, Arkansas, United States
2 Neurol. Surg., Univ. Calif. Irvine, Irvine, California, United States
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: garciarilledgar{at}uams.edu.
SubCoeruleus (SubC) neurons, which are thought to modulate REM sleep, were recorded in brainstem slices from 7-20 day rats and found to manifest spikelets, indicative of electrical coupling. Spikelets occurred spontaneously or could be induced by superfusion of the cholinergic agonist carbachol. Whole-cell recordings revealed that carbachol induced membrane oscillations and spikelets in the theta frequency range in SubC neurons in the presence of fast synaptic blockers. Electrical coupling in neurons is mediated by the gap junction protein connexin 36 (Cx 36). We found that Cx 36 gene expression and protein in the mesopontine tegmentum decreased during development. Cx 36 protein levels specifically in the SubC decreased in concert with the developmental decrease in REM sleep. The presence of electrical coupling in the SubC introduces a novel potential mechanism of action for the regulation of sleep-wake states.
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