Noxious stimulation of the nasal mucosa may induce protective reflexes in the upper airway in rats. Previously, we have reported that nasal air-jet stimulation increases the activities of the laryngeal muscles in decerebrate cats; however, the neuronal mechanism of this phenomenon still is not clarified.
Methods
After the application of nasal air-jet stimulation for 2 hours, we investigated the distribution of Fos-positive cells (FPCs) throughout the medulla compared with sham-operated rats using Fos immunoreactivity.
Results
FPCs in the spinal trigeminal nucleus, the parvocellular reticular nucleus, and the nucleus of the solitary tract were more frequent than the sham-operated rats.
Conclusion
These results suggest that the afferents induced by air-jet stimulation were conveyed to these FPCs and that some of these cells might participate in the augmentation of laryngeal muscle activities during nasal air-jet stimulation.
EcclesR.Neurological and pharmacological considerations. In The Nose-Upper Airway Physiology and the Atmospheric Environment.ProctorD.F. (Eds). Amsterdam: Elsevier Biomedical Press, 191–214, 1982.
2.
TsuboneH.Nasal “flow” receptors of the rat.Respir Physiol75: 51–64, 1989.
3.
FrasnelliJ., HeilmannS., and HummelT.Responsiveness of human nasal mucosa to trigeminal stimuli depends on the site of stimulation.Neurosci Lett362: 65–69, 2004.
4.
NonakaS., KatadaA., NakajimaK.The effects of nasal flow stimulation on central respiration pattern.Am J Rhinol9: 203–208, 1995.
5.
EnomotoK., TakahashiR., KatadaA.The augmentation of intrinsic laryngeal muscle activity by nasal air-jet stimulation of the nasal cavity in decerebrate cats.Neurosci Res31: 137–146, 1998.
6.
BatselH.L., and LinesA.J.Neural mechanisms of sneeze.Am J Physiol229: 770–776, 1975.
7.
NonakaS., UnnoT., OhtaY.Sneeze-evoking region within the brainstem.Brain Res511: 265–270, 1990.
8.
WalloisF., GrosF., MasmoudiK.C-Fos-like immunoreactivity in the cat brainstem evoked by sneeze-inducing air puff stimulation of the nasal mucosa.Brain Res687: 143–154, 1995.
9.
SchaeferM.L., BottgerB., SilverW.L.Trigeminal collaterals in the nasal epithelium and olfactory bulb: A potential route for direct modulation of olfactory information by trigeminal stimuli.J Comp Neurol444: 221–226, 2002.
10.
KobayashiM., and MajimaY.Target site of inhibition of baroreflex vagal bradycardia by nasal stimulation.Brain Res1009: 137–146, 2004.
11.
BaumanN.M., WangD.Q., LuscheiE.S.Effect of substance P injection into the nucleus tractus solitarius of rats on cricothyroid and thyroarytenoid motor activity and cardiovascular and respiratory systems.Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol111: 875–883, 2002.
12.
KunibeI., NonakaS., KatadaA.The neuronal circuit of augmenting effects on intrinsic laryngeal muscle activities induced by nasal air-jet stimulation in decerebrate cats.Brain Res9778: 83–90, 2003.
13.
MorganJ.I., and CurranT.Stimulus-transcription coupling in the nervous system: Involvement of the inducible proto-oncogenes fos and jun.Annu Rev Neurosci14: 421–451, 1991.
14.
PaxinosG., and WatsonC.The Rat Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates, 2nd ed.New York: Academic Press, 1986.
15.
PalkovitsM., and BrownsteinM.J.Maps and Guide to Micro-dissection of the Rat Brain.New York: Elsevier, 1988.
16.
AntonF., and PeppelP.Central projections of trigeminal primary afferents innervating the nasal mucosa: A horseradish peroxidase study in the rat.Neuroscience41: 617–628, 1991.
17.
Shammah-LagnadoS.J., CostaM.S., and RicardoJ.A.Afferent connections of the parvocellular reticular formation: A horseradish peroxidase study in the rat.Neuroscience50: 403–425, 1992.
18.
AntonF., HerdegenT., PeppelP.c-FOS-like immunoreactivity in rat brainstem neurons following noxious chemical stimulation of the nasal mucosa.Neuroscience41: 629–641, 1991.
19.
McCullochP.F., and PannetonW.M.Fos immunohistochemical determination of brainstem neuronal activation in the muskrat after nasal stimulation.Neuroscience78: 913–925, 1997.
20.
DutschmannM., and HerbertH.Fos expression in the rat parabrachial and Kölliker-Fuse nuclei after electrical stimulation of the trigeminal ethmoidal nerve and water stimulation of the nasal mucosa.Exp Brain Res117: 97–110, 1997.
21.
SimonsC.T., SudoS., SudoM.Mustard oil has differential effects on the response of trigeminal caudalis neurons to heat and acidity.Pain110: 64–71, 2004.
22.
SekizawaS., and TsuboneH.Nasal receptors responding to noxious chemical irritants.Respir Physiol96: 37–48, 1994.
