Central nervous system controlling drinking behavior in seawater eels : from hormone reception to esophageal muscle contraction

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Neurons in the area postrema(AP, especially at AP1 region) of the medulla oblongata of the eel was excited by angiotensin II(ANG II), and the ANG II-induced AP1 excitation inhibited the neuronal activity of the glossopharyngeal-vagal motor complex(GVC, especially at GVC1 region). On the other hand, atrial natriuretic peptide(ANP) inhibited the ANG II-induced AP1 excitation. Similar interaction between ANG II and ANP has been reported in the subfornical organ of the rat, therefore it is likely that these dipsogenic(ANG II) and antidipsogenic(ANP) hormones act on the AP1 in the eel. ANG II may facilitate the drinking rate by exciting the AP1 activity, which inhibits the GVC1 activity, which relaxes the upper esophageal sphincter muscle, thus enhance the water intake into the esophagus.