CNS sites controlling the gastric pyloric sphincter: Neuroanatomical and functional study in the rat.

The pyloric sphincter receives parasympathetic vagal innervation from the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV). However, little is known about its higher-order neurons and the nuclei that engage the DMV neurons controlling the pylorus. The purpose of the present study was twofold.

Arteries are finely tuned thermosensors regulating myogenic tone and blood flow.

Unlabelled: In response to changing blood pressure, arteries adjust their caliber to control perfusion. This vital autoregulatory property, termed vascular myogenic tone, stabilizes downstream capillary pressure. We discovered that tissue temperature critically determines myogenic tone.

Brainstem activation of GABA receptors in the nucleus tractus solitarius increases gastric motility.

Background And Aim: Local GABAergic signaling in the dorsal vagal complex (DVC) is essential to control gastric function. While the inhibitory GABA receptor action on motility in the DVC is well-documented, the role of the GABA receptor on gastric function is less well-established. Microinjection of baclofen, a selective GABA receptor agonist, in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) increases gastric tone and motility, while the effect on motility in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) needs to be investigated.

Interactions between Brainstem Neurons That Regulate the Motility to the Stomach.

Activity in the dorsal vagal complex (DVC) is essential to gastric motility regulation. We and others have previously shown that this activity is greatly influenced by local GABAergic signaling, primarily because of somatostatin (SST)-expressing GABAergic neurons. To further understand the network dynamics associated with gastric motility control in the DVC, we focused on another neuron prominently distributed in this complex, neuropeptide-Y (NPY) neurons.

TRPV1 in arteries enables a rapid myogenic tone.

Arterioles maintain blow flow by adjusting their diameter in response to changes in local blood pressure. In this process called the myogenic response, a vascular smooth muscle mechanosensor controls tone predominantly through altering the membrane potential. In general, myogenic responses occur slowly (minutes).