AFFERENT REGULATION OF CHOLINERGIC FOREBRAIN NEURONS

我们研究的长期目标有两个：1）了解 基底前脑胆碱能神经元（BFC）是如何被脑干调节的 单胺能神经元和2）研究是否BFC的脆弱性 神经退行性疾病中的神经元可能与退行性变有关 或BFC神经元的特异性受体组成。 为了实现这一目标，我们继续解剖和化学 对特定亚群的单胺能传入的表征 BFC神经元。 将作出具体努力，以评估预测是否 中缝背核和中缝正中核以及旁正中网状核 形成终止于BFC神经元。作为这些的逻辑延伸， 实验中，我们将确定传入本地GABA能的来源， （小清蛋白、钙结合蛋白和钙视网膜蛋白）和肽能（生长抑素和 NPY）神经元，并将研究这些中间神经元与BFC的关系 神经元 这些研究将通过使用体内和体外 细胞内标记技术与其他示踪方法的结合 （PHA-L）和免疫细胞化学在光镜和电镜下 水平，辅之以胆碱能神经元及其 假定的终端 我们还将描述单胺能系统的破坏 影响单胺能受体和神经递质的表达 BFC神经元的调节。 在这些实验中， 将通过损伤单个单胺能细胞群或 使用各种毒素（6-OHDA、5，6DHT、皂草素-抗-DBH）和原位 杂交技术将用于测量神经递质变化 酶（ChAT）或受体（α 2a，β 2，D1，D2 5 HT 1B）信息。 确定BFC的精确投入产出关系将提供 药理学、行为学或临床研究的必要数据库 旨在了解BFC在皮质激活中的具体作用， 注意力机制或感觉处理，BFC具有的功能 被牵连。 此外，我们的研究可能会提供更多的线索， 基底前脑中单胺能/胆碱能相互作用的机制。 这种相互作用在学习和记忆过程中也很重要， 它们的丧失可能会导致认知能力的下降， 痴呆症

The long term goal of our research is twofold: 1) to understand the extent of how basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFC) are modulated by brainstem monoaminergic neurons and 2) to study whether the vulnerability of BFC neurons in neurodegenerative diseases could be related to the degeneration of monoaminergic input, or specific receptor composition of BFC neurons. To accomplish this goal we continue the anatomical and chemical characterization of monoaminergic afferents to specific subpopulations of BFC neurons. Specific attempt will be made to assess whether projections from the dorsal and median raphe nuclei, and the paramedian reticular formation terminate on BFC neurons. As a logical extension of these experiments we will identify the sources of afferents to local GABAergic (parvalbumin, calbindin and calretinin) and peptidergic (somatostatin and NPY) neurons and will study the relationship of these interneurons to BFC neurons. These studies will be aided by using in vivo and in vitro intracellular labeling techniques in combination with other tracing methods (PHA-L), and immunocytochemistry at both th light and electron microscopic level, supplemented by 3-D reconstruction of cholinergic neurons and their putative terminals. We will also characterize how the disruption of monoaminergic systems affects expression of monoaminergic receptors and neurotransmitter regulation in BFC neurons. In these experiments monoaminergic deprivation will be achieved by lesioning the individual monoaminergic cell groups or using various toxins (6-OHDA, 5, 6DHT, saporin-anti-DBH) and in situ hybridization technique will be used to measure changes in neurotransmitter enzyme (ChAT) or receptor (alpa2a, beta2, D1, D2 5HT1B) messages. Defining the precise input-output relations of the BFC will provide the necessary database for pharmacological, behavioral or clinical studies designed to understand the specific role of BFC in cortical activation, attention mechanisms or sensory processing, functions in which the BFC has been implicated. Moreover, our study may provide additional clues to the mechanism of monoaminergic/cholinergic interactions in the basal forebrain. Such interactions may also be important in learning and memory processes, and their loss may contribute to the cognitive decline seen in aging and in dementing disease.