Glutamatergic ionotropic receptors role in lateral hypothalamus and perifornical area (LH/PFA) in daily modulation of ventilatory responses promoted by central chemoreflex activation

• Grant number: 14/16552-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2014
• End date: August 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - General Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Mirela Barros Dias
• Grantee: Felipe Fiorin Zamai
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/04216-8 - Neural mechanisms involved in the diurnal variation of the central chemoreflex control, AP.JP

Abstract

Evidence suggests the existence of daily variations in the control of the central chemoreflex, and has been attributed to orexinergic neurons of the lateral hypothalamus and perifornical area (LH / PFA) as a mediator of circadian variations in central chemorreflex, but the mechanisms involved remain to be elucidated. This project aims to investigate the possible role of glutamatergic neurotransmission in the LH/PFA in the modulation of the ventilatory response to hypercapnia in awake and sleeping rats during the dark and light period of the light/dark cycle. In unanaesthetized Wistar rats, ventilation will be measured using a whole-body plethysmograph. Animals will be submitted to microinjections of L-glutamate (L-GLU), kynurenic acid (KY; ionotropic glutamate antagonist) and their respective vehicles in the LH/PFA, and the effects of these approaches on ventilation will be evaluated in room air and 7% CO2 on sleep and wakefulness during both the dark and light periods. (AU)