Role of an excitatory preoptic-raphé pathway in febrile vasoconstriction of the rat's tail

M Tanaka; MJ McKinley; RM McAllen

Journal article

Role of an excitatory preoptic-raphé pathway in febrile vasoconstriction of the rat's tail

M Tanaka, MJ McKinley, RM McAllen

American Journal of Physiology Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology | Published : 2013

DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00401.2013

Abstract

Heat dissipation from the rat's tail is reduced in response to cold and during fever. The sympathetic premotor neurons for this mechanism, located in the medullary raphé, are under tonic inhibitory control from the preoptic area. In parallel with the inhibitory pathway, an excitatory pathway from the rostromedial preoptic region (RMPO) to the medullary raphé mediates the vasoconstrictor response to cold skin. Whether this applies also to the tail vasoconstrictor response in fever is unknown. Single- or a few-unit tail sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) was recorded in urethane-anesthetized, artificially ventilated rats. Experimental fever was induced by PGE2 injected into the lateral cerebral ..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Michael McKinley Author

Robin McAllen Author

Related Projects (4)

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RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP 2007 - MCKINLEY

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Grants

Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia

Awarded by NHMRC

Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia

Funding Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia (Project Grants 628657 and 1051103), the Victorian Government Operational Infrastructure Support Program, the Robert J. Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation and the Leila Y. and G. Harold Mathers Trust. R. McAllen and M. McKinley held NHMRC Fellowships 566667 and 454369.