Regulation of Autonomic Nervous System by the Hypothalamo-Cerebellar System

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It has been reported that electrical stimulation of the cerebellar Fastigial Nucleus (FN) produces various consummatory behaviors and changes in blood Vasopressin (VP) level, as well as hypertension accompanied by tachycardia. However, the mechanisms of these are still unknown. The purpose of this project was to investigate the neural inputs from the FN to the Lateral Hypothalamic Area (LHA), the hypothalamic feeding center, and to the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) containing the neurosecretory cells. In addition, the effect of VP on the neurons in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) was also examined.In anesthetized rats, main responses of neuron activity in the LHA and PVN were as follows. Both the glucose sensitive neurons in the LHA, which has been considered to be involved in the regulation of feeding behavior, and the neurosecretory neurons in the PVN were inhibited by the stimulation of the Fn probably through monosynaptic pathways. Furthermore the DMV neurons, which has been reported to have neural projections from the LHA and PVN, were excited by the application of VP in brain slice preparations.These findings suggest that the FN sends a direct neural input to the LHA and PVN, then the information may go down to the autonomic preganglionic neurons in the DMV. In other words, it is possible that the cerebellar information may be involved in the hypothalamic regulation of homeostasis, including control of feeding, drinking, neurosecretion and the autonomic nervous system.