Raphe Nuclei Projections to Vestibular Nuclei

描述（由申请人提供）：本研究项目的目标是描述从中缝核到前庭系统的投射组织的特征。虽然起源于中缝核的纤维已知支配前庭核，很少有人知道中缝前庭通路的具体组织。本计画的第一部份将利用顺行追踪来检视中缝投射至前庭核的地形。然而，由于中缝投射产生的两个cadronergic和非cadronergic神经元，我们已经设计了一种新的实验技术，将允许cadronergic和非cadronergic组件的终止模式进行独立分析的组合。本研究还关注中缝投射到一个上行网络的组织，该网络有助于前庭与自主神经通路的相互作用。我们将检验这一假设，即多巴胺能和非多巴胺能中缝核神经元的来源，侧支轴突投射到这个上升网络的组成部分-特别是前庭，外侧臂旁，中央杏仁核，下丘脑室旁核。我们将使用多种逆行示踪方法来识别这些抵押投射。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this research project is to characterize the organization of projections from the raphe nuclei to the vestibular system. Although fibers originating from raphe nuclei are known to innervate the vestibular nuclei, little is known about the specific organization of the raphe-vestibular pathway. The first part of this project will use anterograde tracing to examine the topography of raphe projections to the vestibular nuclei. However, because raphe projections arise from both serotonergic and non-serotonergic neurons, we have devised a novel combination of experimental techniques that will allow the termination patterns of the serotonergic and non-serotonergic components to be analyzed independently. The present research is also concerned with the organization of raphe projections to an ascending network that contributes to vestibular interactions with autonomic pathways. We will test the hypothesis that serotonergic and non-serotonergic raphe neurons are sources of collateralized axon projections to components of this ascending network - specifically the vestibular, lateral parabrachial, central amygdaloid, and hypothalamic paraventricular nuclei. We will use multiple retrograde tracer methods to identify these collateralized projections.