Involvement of the parafacial/retrotrapezoid nucleus in the control of upper airway

• Grant number: 12/16166-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: February 01, 2013
• End date: January 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Principal Investigator: Thiago dos Santos Moreira
• Grantee: Elvis Viana de Lucena
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Breathing is a spontaneous, rhythmic motor behavior critical for maintaining O2, CO2, and pH homeostasis. The physiological process by which blood gases are detected, called chemoreception, depends on chemical sensors present in the aortic or carotid body (peripheral chemoreceptors) and within the central nervous system (CNS) (central chemoreceptors). The absence of chemoreceptor activity is associated with a large number of cardiorespiratory disorders, including sleep apnea, sudden infant death syndrome and hypertension. Moreover, we know that the loss of muscle tone of upper airway during sleep is one of the main cause of apnea and that pharmacological treatments are mostly ineffective. In this sense, we ask whether RTN neuron stimulation increases the activity of airway muscles. Given that RTN stimulation is already known to increase the activity of inspiratory and expiratory pump muscles, this hypothesis is eminently plausible but it remains to be tested. To test our hypothesis, we will activate RTN neurons in anesthetized rats. We will simply determine whether the inspiratory-related activity of nerves that innervate the airways (e.g. central end of cervical vagus nerve, hypoglossal nerve) is enhanced along with that of the phrenic nerve. This test will be performed in urethane-anesthetized vagotomized ventilated adult rats using conventional nerve recordings. (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)

SILVA, JOSIANE N.; LUCENA, ELVIS V.; SILVA, TALITA M.; DAMASCENO, ROSELIA S.; TAKAKURA, ANA C.; MOREIRA, THIAGO S.. INHIBITION OF THE PONTINE KOLLIKER-FUSE NUCLEUS REDUCES GENIOGLOSSAL ACTIVITY ELICITED BY STIMULATION OF THE RETROTRAPEZOID CHEMORECEPTOR NEURONS. Neuroscience, v. 328, p. 9-21, JUL 22 2016. (12/03568-5, 10/09776-3, 13/10573-8, 09/54888-7, 13/00401-5, 10/15692-7, 12/16166-2)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

LUCENA, Elvis Viana de. Interaction between the retrotrapezoid nucleus/parafacial region and the kölliker-fuse area in the modulation of the respiratory pattern.. 2015. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI) São Paulo.