Effects of electrical stimulation of VSA on firing characteristics of thermosensitiveneurons in POAH of rabbits treated with pyrogen / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

Abstract］　AIM and METHODS:The recent work from our laboratory showed that ventral septal area (VSA) played a negative-regulatory central role in thermoregulation during endogenous pyrogen-induced fever. In order to further investigate the role of VSA in the antipyretic mechanism, we observed the effects of electrical stimulation of VSA on firing characteristics of thermosensitive neurons in preoptic anterior hypothalamus (POAH) by using extracellular microelectrode technique on 32 New Zealand white rabbits treated with interleukin-1 β (IL-1β) intracerebroventriculary (ICV). RESULTS:(1)Injection of IL-1β decreased discharging rate of warm-sensitive neurons in POAH. Electrical stimulation of VSA remarkably decreased thermosensitive coefficient of warm-sensitive neurons. (2)Injection of IL-1β caused increase in discharging rate of cold-sensitive neurons in POAH. Electrical stimulation of VSA remarkably increased thermosensitive coefficient of cold-sensitive neurons. CONCLUSTIONVSA may have an antipyretic effect through affecting the firing characteristics of thermosensitive neurons in POAH during IL-1β-induced fever.