Vagal afferent activation decreases brown adipose tissue (BAT) sympathetic nerve activity and BAT thermogenesis

Christopher J. Madden, Ellen Paula Santos da Conceicao, Shaun F. Morrison

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

35 Scopus citations

Abstract

In urethane/α-chloralose anesthetized rats, electrical stimulation of cervical vagal afferent fibers inhibited the increases in brown adipose tissue sympathetic nerve activity and brown adipose tissue thermogenesis evoked by cold exposure, by nanoinjection of the GABAA receptor antagonist, bicuculline, in the dorsomedial hypothalamus, and by nanoinjection of N-methyl-D-aspartate in the rostral raphe pallidus. Vagus nerve stimulation-evoked inhibition of brown adipose tissue sympathetic nerve activity was prevented by blockade of ionotropic glutamate receptors in the termination site of vagal afferents in the nucleus of the solitary tract, and by nanoinjection of GABAA receptor antagonists in the rostral raphe pallidus. In conclusion, the brown adipose tissue sympathoinhibitory effect of cervical afferent vagal nerve stimulation is mediated by glutamatergic activation of second-order sensory neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract and by a GABAergic inhibition of brown adipose tissue sympathetic premotor neurons in the rostral raphe pallidus, but does not require GABAergic inhibition of the brown adipose tissue sympathoexcitatory neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamus.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)89-96
Number of pages8
JournalTemperature
Volume4
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 31 2017

Keywords

  • NTS
  • VNS
  • raphe pallidus
  • thermoregulation
  • vagus

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physiology
  • Physiology (medical)

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