Effect of electrical stimulation of the primary auditory cortex on the spontaneous activities of the external nucleus of the inferior colliculus in a rat model of tinnitus induced by salicylate acid / 生理学报

This study aims to investigate corticofugal modulation on spontaneous activities of the external nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICx) in a salicylate acid (SA) induced tinnitus rat model by the stimulation of the primary auditory cortex (AI). Extracellular recording techniques and stereotaxic method were used. The spontaneous activities of a single unit were recorded from the left ICx after electrical stimulation was given to the left AI of the rats duplicated as acute SA models. The average rate of spontaneous discharge and the interspike interval histogram of spontaneous activities were used as indices. The single unit spontaneous discharges of the same unit of ICx before and after AI stimulation were observed. There was an inhibitory effect of AI stimulation on the activities of the high discharge unit [(8.75+/-2.70) Hz vs (5.06+/-2.01) Hz] and a facilitatory effect on the low discharge unit [(1.41+/-0.45) Hz vs (2.46+/-0.79) Hz]. In the normal group, there was a restraining effect on the average rate of spontaneous discharge of the ICx after AI stimulation. The average rate of spontaneous discharge changed from (3.66+/-0.84) Hz to (2.47+/-0.43) Hz in the first hour after AI stimulation and then recovered within 2-4 h. And the discharge rate of the spike interval within 0-20 ms decreased (17% vs 7.3%, 11.2%) in the first 2 h and recovered 3-4 h after AI stimulation. The discharge rate of the spike interval within 0-6 ms (short interval) recovered 2 h after AI stimulation. In the acute SA model group, the average rate of spontaneous discharge recorded from the ICx decreased from (7.48+/-0.85) Hz to (3.38+/-0.39) Hz in the first hour after AI stimulation and the suppression effect remained 4 h (P<0.05). There was no difference in the average rate of spontaneous discharge between the acute SA model group and the normal group at 2-4 h after AI stimulation. The suppression effect after AI stimulation on the 0-20 ms interval spikes in the ICx lasted 4 h, while that on the shorter interval (0-6 ms) spikes recovered in the 3rd hour after AI stimulation in acute SA model group. It is concluded that the high average spontaneous discharge rate of ICx in acute SA model decreases significantly by AI stimulation, and the suppression effects on the shorter interval spikes recovers in the 3rd hour after AI stimulation. It might be inferred that stimulation of AI, through exciting the auditory descending projections, could remit the increased spontaneous discharge of ICx induced by SA that may relate with tinnitus in a period of time.

Effects on secretory function of rat gonad by Erxian decoction and its disassembled prescriptions / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explain functions, differences and coordination of three divided combinations of the "Erxian decoction", the famous traditional Chinese formula, on the effective sites of gonad gland at the cell level.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The effects of Erxian decoction and its main disassembled prescriptions, "Kidney Warming", "Yin Nourishing" and "Chong-ren Adjusting", on the level of testosterone (T) progesterone (P) estradiol (E2), respectively secreted by the primary culture Leydig cell, luteal cell and granulosa cell, were measured by radioimmunoassay.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>(1) Erxian decoction could stimulate the T secretion while its three main disassembled prescriptions would seem no individual promoting effect on the secretion of T. (2) Erxian decoction and the "Kidney Warming" had the stimulating effect on P secretion, and the action of the whole formula being better than that of the "Kidney Warming". (3) Erxian decoction and its main disassembled prescriptions had the stimulating effect on E2 secretion, especially the whole formula.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Erxian decoction can stimulate the secretion of T of the Leydig cell, P of luteal cell and E2 of granulosa cell. It can be seen that the effect of the whole formula is better than that of its main disassembled prescriptions.</p>