Electrical stimulation of POAH alters firing rates of IL-1β-treated thermosensitive neurons in the VSA in rabbits / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM and METHODS: To investigate the functional connection between the preoptic anterior hypothalamus (POAH) and the ventral septal area (VSA) in fever mechanism, the firing rates of thermosensitive neurons in the VSA of 26 New Zealand white rabbits were recorded using extracellular microelectrode technique. RESULTS: The firing rates in both types of thermosensitive neurons in the VSA had no significant changes after intracerebroventricular (icv) injection of artificial cerebrospinal fluid(ACSF). When interleukin-1β (IL-1β) was given (icv), the firing rate of the warm-sensitive neurons was increased significantly and that of the cold-sensitive neurons was decreased remarkably. The effects of IL-1β on the changes of firing rate in thermosensitive neurons of the VSA were reversed by electrical stimulation of the POAH. CONCLUSION: The roles of positive and negative thermoregulatory centers in the interaction between the POAH and VSA are closely linked during endogenous pyrogen induced fever.