Food Entrainment, Arousal, and Motivation in the Neonatal Rabbit Pup.

In the newborn rabbit, the light entrainable circadian system is immature and once a day nursing provides the primary timing cue for entrainment. In advance of the mother's arrival, pups display food anticipatory activity (FAA), and metabolic and physiological parameters are synchronized to this daily event. Central structures in the brain are also entrained as indicated by expression of Fos and Per1 proteins, GFAP, a glial marker, and cytochrome oxidase activity. Under fasting conditions, several of these rhythmic parameters persist in the periphery and brain, including rhythms in the olfactory bulb (OB). Here we provide an overview of these physiological and neurobiological changes and focus on three issues, just beginning to be examined in the rabbit. First, we review evidence supporting roles for the organum vasculosum of lamina terminalis (OVLT) and median preoptic nucleus (MnPO) in homeostasis of fluid ingestion and the neural basis of arousal, the latter which also includes the role of the orexigenic system. Second, since FAA in association with the daily visit of the mother is an example of conditioned learning, we review evidence for changes in the corticolimbic system and identified nuclei in the amygdala and extended amygdala as part of the neural substrate responsible for FAA. Third, we review recent evidence supporting the role of oxytocinergic cells of the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN) as a link to the autonomic system that underlies physiological events, which occur in preparation for the upcoming next daily meal. We conclude that the rabbit model has contributed to an overall understanding of food entrainment.

Effects of interleukin-1 beta injections into the subfornical organ and median preoptic nucleus on sodium appetite, blood pressure and body temperature of sodium-depleted rats.

Interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) appears to be the mediator of the reciprocal communication between the brain and the immune system. IL-1ß has been shown to modulate homeostatic functions including fever, feeding, drinking and cardiovascular control. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of IL-1ß injections directly into the subfornical organ (SFO) and the median preoptic nucleus (MnPO) on salt appetite, hedonic response, locomotion, body temperature and blood pressure in sodium-depleted rats. IL-1ß injections into the SFO and MnPO at the doses of 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6ng/0.2µl promoted a dose-dependent inhibition of salt intake in sodium-depleted rats. Results of the "dessert" test and the "open field" test suggested that the inhibition of salt appetite is not due to any changes in the hedonic aspect of ingestive behavior or to changes in locomotor activity. As expected, IL-1ß injections into the SFO and MnPO promoted an increase in body temperature. However, the fever induced by IL-1ß injected into the SFO was slower than the increase in body temperature obtained following IL-1ß injection into the MnPO. Furthermore, IL-1ß at a dose of 1.6ng/0.2µl directly injected into the MnPO led to a significant increase in blood pressure, while injection of the same concentration of IL-1ß into the SFO caused no significant change in blood pressure or heart rate. The action of pro-inflammatory cytokines may interfere with the normal control of body temperature, blood pressure and fluid homeostasis, producing the adjustment required to cope with infection and inflammation. Further studies are required to clarify the mechanisms involved in fever, blood pressure increase and inhibition of sodium appetite induced by injections of IL-1ß into the SFO and MnPO in sodium-depleted rats.

Involvement of the median preoptic nucleus in blood pressure control.

Studies have demonstrated that median preoptic nucleus (MnPO) neurons play a role in organizing the cardiovascular responses induced by changes in the circulating blood volume. The present study examined whether the MnPO controls cardiovascular function. Male Wistar normotensive (NT) rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs; 250-300 g) were anesthetized with urethane (1.2 g kg(-1), i.v.) and instrumented for recordings of mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and renal blood flow (RBF). The renal vascular conductance (RVC) was calculated as the RBF:MAP ratio and was expressed as a percentage of the baseline value. In the NT rats (n=6), MnPO inhibition produced a MAP reduction (-8.1±1.1 mmHg, p<0.05). In the SHRs (n=6), the MAP response to MnPO inhibition was significantly greater (-22.3±4 mmHg, p<0.05) than in the NT rats. Furthermore, the increase in the RVC was higher in the SHRs (10.9±3.3%, p<0.05). Histological analyses confirmed that the injection sites were confined to the MnPO. We conclude that the MnPO is involved in the tonic regulation of blood pressure in NT rats. Moreover, the greater cardiovascular response to MnPO inhibition observed in the SHRs strongly suggests that the MnPO may contribute to the pathophysiology of essential hypertension.