REDUCED GLUTAMATE BINDING IN RAT DORSAL VAGAL COMPLEX AFTER NODOSE GANGLIONECTOMY

Abstract

Quantitative receptor autoradiography with L-[3H]glutamate was employed to examine the distribution and properties of glutamate binding sites in the rat brain 14 days after excision of the right nodose ganglion. Slide-mounted coronal sections of the brain showed reduced L-[3H]glutamate binding in the nucleus tractus solitarius/dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus in the ipsilateral relative to the sham-operated side. Densitometric and saturation analyses of binding data indicated a significant reduction in the density of glutamate binding sites (57% decrease relative to sham), while there was a significant increase in receptor affinity (40% greater than sham). Binding was unaltered in the infer..