NO-Dependent mechanisms of amygdalofugal modulation of hypothalamic autonomic neurons.

Neurophysiological and histochemical experiments on rats were performed to study the effects of the central nucleus of the amygdala on the activity of cells in various areas of the hypothalamus. Electrical stimulation of the medial part of the nucleus evoked marked excitatory reactions in neurons in the medial part of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and the rostral part of the lateral hypothalamic area. Intravenous administration of N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10 mg/kg) led to increases in evoked neuron responses.

[NO-dependent mechanisms of the amygdalofugal modulation of the hypothalamus vegetative neurons].

In neurophysiological and histochemical experiments on rats, amygdalo-fugal modulation of cells within NO-producing areas of the hypothalamus was studied. Electrical stimulation of the medial area of the central nucleus caused obvious excitatory neuronal reactions within the medial part of the paraventricular nucleus and rostral portion of the lateral hypothalamic area. The observed amygdala-induced neuronal responses were enhanced after i.

Changes in the synapses in the parietal cortex of senescent rats.

Quantitative parameters characterizing the density of the synapses, the pre- and postsynaptic elements, and the synaptic contact zones (SCZ) in the parietal cortex of young adult (3-month-old) and aged rats (24 months) were investigated using an automated computer system. A big loss of axospinous, but not of axodendritic synapses, was observed in the aged rats. The parameters for the synaptic vesicles and SCZ were changed also only in the axospinous synapses.

Postnatal development of the myenteric plexus in cat stomach.

The postnatal development of the myenteric plexus in cat stomach has been studied at birth, on the 14th, 30th, 45th and 180th postnatal days, using light- and electronmicroscopic methods. In newborn kittens the main network of the Auerbach plexus is well formed, but the myenteric ganglia are composed of nerve cells with different maturity and a scarce neuropile. During the first two postnatal weeks the dimensions of the ganglia increase owing to the increase of the nerve bodies and the rising number of glials cells and intercellular fibres.

Prenatal development of the myenteric plexus in cat stomach.

The prenatal development of the myenteric (Auerbach) plexus in cat stomach has been studied light- and electronmicroscopically. Neuroblasts and axon bundles of the myenteric plexus are found in the gastric wall of the smallest embryos studied (10-15 mm) even before its layers are formed. The plexus elements are not separated from the mesenchyme with a basal membrane.