Interaction between hipothalamic areas and the retroprapezoid nucleus in control of central chemosensitivity

• Grant number: 10/12590-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2011
• End date: June 30, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Principal Investigator: Thiago dos Santos Moreira
• Grantee: Bárbara Falquetto
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

During exercise an intense brain mobilization produce an increased muscle tension and cardiorespiratory activities. Among the respiratory changes during exercise, an increase in O2 consumption and CO2 production could influence breathing. It is well known that increased levels of CO2 stimulates breathing via acidification of carotid body and central nervous system (CNS) as a phenomenon called chemoreception. There are evidences that neurons in the retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN) are involved in the process of central chemoreception. Moreover, literature had showed that the chemosensitive RTN neurons are activated by stimulation of posterior hypothalamus, a region involved cardiovascular, respiratory and locomotor control. Thus, it becomes important to investigate if there is an activation of chemosensitive RTN neurons and hypothalamic neurons during exercise. If our hypothesis is true, what is the physiological importance of this pathway and when it will be activated? Based on the assumptions describe above, the aims of the present project will be: 1) To investigate which brain areas are activated during the exercise, among them, the main region analyzed is composed of the chemosensitive RTN neurons and the dorsomedial hypothalamus. 2) Assess whether the activation of chemosensitive RTN neurons during physical activity involves the participation of a pathway between dorsomedial hypothalamus region and RTN. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BARNA, B. F.; TAKAKURA, A. C.; MOREIRA, T. S.. ACUTE EXERCISE-INDUCED ACTIVATION OF PHOX2B-EXPRESSING NEURONS OF THE RETROTRAPEZOID NUCLEUS IN RATS MAY INVOLVE THE HYPOTHALAMUS. Neuroscience, v. 258, p. 355-363, JAN 31 2014. (10/19336-0, 10/09776-3, 10/12590-9)