• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.71-80
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• 1996

A number of experimental evidences suggest that the rnun ventrolateral medulla(RVLM) is the final common pathway in the regulation of arterial blood pressure. A Voup of neurons in the RVLM, called the cardiovascular neurons (UN), show spontaneous activity temporally synchronized with the periodic cardiac cycle. These neurons affect the sympathetic nerve discharge(SND), thus are believed to be responsible for blood pressure control. The present experiment identified 98 UVNs in 42 cats based on the temporal relationships between each neuron's activity with both the cardiac cycle and SWD. In 20 UWL changes of spontaneous firing rate(FR) during the somatosympathetic reflex(SSR) were studied Five different firing patterns were observed during the pressor and depressor responses of SSR, implying that they form an interconnected neuronal circuit interacting with one another to generate efferent signals for blood pressure regulation. In the following companion paper, the firing patterns of CVN are analyzed to develop a minimal neuronal circuit model explaining the present experimental outcome.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.201-209
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• 1991

The rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) has been established recently as a sympathoexcitatory area. The present study was conducted to investigate whether the somatosympathetic pressor and/or depressor responses are mediated through RVLM in cats anesthetized with ${\alpha}-chloralose$. An occipital craniectomy was performed and ventrolateral medulla were stimulated either electrically or chemically to evoke changes in arterial blood pressure. And then the effect of lesions in the ventrolateral medulla on the changes in blood pressure elicited by the peripheral nerve stimulation was observed. Followings are the results obtained: 1) Pressor areas were found in the ventrolateral medulla, lateral reticular nucleus and rostral dorsal area. 2) Depressor areas were found mainly in the ventrolateral medulla rostral to the pressor areas. 3) Some areas showed biphasic responses: a depressor response to lower frequency and a pressor response to higher frequency stimulation. 4) After electrical lesion in pressor area in RVLM, the somatosympathetic pressor response was abolished or depressed markedly. The somatosympathetic depressor response, however, remained after the lesion. 5) Electrical lesion in the depressor area abolished somatosympathetic depressor response. From the above results it is concluded that somatosympathetic pressor response is mediated through RVLM, while somatosympathetic depressor response is not mediated through RVLM.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.75-88
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• 1992

It is well established that neurons in ventrolateral medulla play a key role in determining the vasomotor tone. The purpose of present study is to identify sympathetic related, medullospinal tract neurons in ventrolateral medulla and to show that these mediate somato-sympathetic reflex. Medullospinal tract cells were identified by antidromic stimulation to intermediolateral nucleus (IML) of the second thoracic ($T_2$) spinal cord in anesthetized cats. Peripheral nerves were stimulated for orthodromic activation of these cells and peripheral receptive fields were determined. Post R wave histogram of unit and spike triggered averaging of sympathetic nerve discharge (SND) were used to define sympathetic related cell. A total of 113 neurons was recorded in ventrolateral medulla that had the axonal projections to $T_2$ spinal cord. Thirty four of these medullospinal cells showed spontaneous discharges and the others not. Between these two groups, rostro-caudal coordinate of the distribution from obex [$4.7{\pm}0.2\;$ (mean S.E.) mm, 4.1 0.1 mm], depth from dorsal surface ($5.5{\pm}0.2mm,\;4.9{\pm}0.1mm$ and conduction velocity ($9.9{\pm}1.7m/sec,\;16.7{\pm}1.9\;m/sec$) were significantly different (p<0.05). In spontaneously discharging group, characteristics of rostral and caudal groups were significantly different and we demonstrated that cells in rostral group mediate somatosympathetic reflex. From these results, we conclude that a certain portion of spontaneously discharging medullospinal tract cells in rostral ventrolateral medulla comprise the efferent outputs of somatosympathetic reflex to sympathetic preganglion neurons.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.79-84
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• 1996

A number of experimental evidences suggest that the rnun ventrolateral medulla(RVLM) is the final common pathway in the regulation of arterial blood pressure. A Voup of neurons in the RVLM, called the cardiovascular neurons (UN), show spontaneous activity temporally synchronized with the periodic cardiac cycle. These neurons affect the sympathetic nerve discharge(SND), thus are believed to be responsible for blood pressure control. The present experiment identified 98 UVNs in 42 cats based on the temporal relationships between each neuron's activity with both the cardiac cycle and SWD. In 20 UWL changes of spontaneous firing rate(FR) during the somatosympathetic reflex(SSR) were studied Five different firing patterns were observed during the pressor and depressor responses of SSR, implying that they form an interconnected neuronal circuit interacting with one another to generate efferent signals for blood pressure regulation. In the following companion paper, the firing patterns of CVN are analyzed to develop a minimal neuronal circuit model explaining the present experimental outcome.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.309-321
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• 1995

In the present study, the relationship between the somatosympathetic reflexes and arterial blood pressure responses to electrical stimulation of the peripheral nerve was investigated in cats anesthetized with ${\alpha}-chloralose$. Single sympathetic postganglionic fiber activities were recorded from the hindlimb muscle and skin nerves and also from the cervical and abdominal sympathetic chains. Effects of the morphine on responses of the sympathetic nerve and arterial blood pressure to activation of the peripheral $A{\delta}-$ and C-afferent nerves were analyzed. The following results were obtained. 1) Arterial blood pressure was depressed by peripheral AS-afferent stimulation (A-response) and was elevated during C-afferent activation (C-response). 2) Intravenously administered morphine enhanced the C-response while the A-response decreased insignificantly, Only the C-response was decreased by intrathecal morphine. 3) All the ten recorded cutaneous sympathetic fibers showed periodic discharge pattern similar to respiratory rhythm and five of them also showed cardiac-related rhythm. However, most of the muscular sympathetic fibers had cardiac-related rhythm and only four fibers showed respiratory rhythm. 4) Morphine decreased the sympathetic C-reflex elicited by the peripheral C-afferent activation and the abdominal sympathetic A-reflex was also decreased by morphine. From the above results, it was concluded that supraspinal mechanisms were involved in the enhanced arterial pressor response to peripheral C-afferent activation by intravenous morphine.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제23권5호
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• pp.833-843
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• 1990

Vasomotor areas were identified by stimulating various sites of the medulla electrically in adult cats anesthetized with a-chloralose and their correlation with somatosympathetic pressor or depressor responses was investigated. Followings are the results obtained: 1. Pressor areas were found in the rostral ventrolateral, the caudal ventrolateral and the rostral dorsolateral medulla. 2. Separate depressor areas were found dorsal and ventral to the rostral ventrolateral pressor area. 3. Some areas showed biphasic responses: depressor responses to low frequency[1 \ulcorner2 Hz] and pressor responses to high frequency[20 \ulcorner100 Hz] stimulation 4. Lesions on the rostral ventrolateral pressor areas abolished the somatosympathetic pressor responses to the stimulation of peripheral afferent nerves, while the depressor responses remained. Lesions on the caudal ventrolateral pressor area affected neither the pressor nor depressor responses to the peripheral nerve stimulation. 5. Lesions on the depressor areas resulted in decreased depressor responses to the peripheral nerve stimulation, but to a lesser degree than that resulted from lesions on the pressor areas. 6. A microinjection of glutamate solution to the pressor area resulted in a prolonged pressor response, while glutamate injection to the depressor areas did not elicit depressor responses. From the above results, it is concluded that there are separate pressor and depressor areas in the rostral medulla of cats and each area plays a role in somatosympathetic pressor and depressor responses, respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.185-197
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• 1993

The rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) includes vasopressor neurons, which transmit activation signals to the intermediolateral nucleus (IML) of the spinal cord, where the preganglionic sympathetic nucleus is located, to raise arterial blood pressure (BP). However, controversy exists as to the possible depressor area in the RVLM and the pathway involved. The present study persued evidence far the location of depressor neurons and the pathway by simultaneously observing changes in BP and the firing rate (FR) of cardiovascular neurons (CVNs) in the RVLM during the somatosympathetic reflex (SSR) elicited by peripheral nerve stimulation, since CVNs are known to contribute to the generation of the sympathetic nerve discharge. In 42 cats, anaesthetized with $\alpha-chloralose$, single unit recording was performed, using carbon filament electrodes inserted into the RVLM, enabling estimation of the post R wave unit histogram (PR-UNlT) and the spike triggered average of sympathetic nerve discharge (STA-SND), allowing identification of CVNs. Antidromic stimulation of spinal $T_2$ segment was followed to determine whether the identified CVN projects axonal endings to the spinal cord (reticulospinal neuron). The sciatic nerve was electrically stimulated at $A\delta-intensity$ (1 mA, 0.1 ms), 1 Hz and C-intensity (10 mA, 0.5 ms), 20 Hz to elicit the depressor, and pressor responses of the SSR, respectively. Simultaneous measurement of CVN firing rate was made. Experimental results are summarized as follows. 1) 20 out of 98 CVNs had axonal projections to the spinal cord and 17 out of 98 CVNs showed FR changes during SSR. 2) Response patterns of FR and BP during SSR were classified into 8 types. 3) These 8 different response patterns could be further classified into those from pressor and depressor neurons. These results demonstrate that some CVNs were identifiable as reticulospinal neurons responding to anti-dromic stimulation and that CVNs operating as depressor neurons as well as pressor neurons exist in the RVLM, both of which are involved with SSR mediation. Therefore, evidence was found that an independent depressor pathway might be involved in the mediation of SSR.

• 대한의용생체공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한의용생체공학회 1995년도 춘계학술대회
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• pp.190-194
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• 1995

체성-교감 반사 유발시 동맥혈압의 조절에 관여한다고 생각되는 상부 복외측 연수 내의 심혈관계 세포를 대상으로 흥분발사의 반응특성을 측정, 분석하였다. 심장 박동주기와 시간적으로 동기되는 흥분발사를 보이는 심혈관계 세포를 찾은 후 체성-교감 반사의 승압반응과 감압반응을 유발시키며 각각에 대해 동일한 세포의 흥분발사의 변화를 측정한 결과 5가지 유형의 반응특성을 얻을 수 있었다. 이들 간에 구성되어 있는 회로망 연결을 설명하고자 2 가지 종류의 특성 세포와 적절한 자극 전달 경로 및 세포간 회로망 연결을 도입하여 본 연구의 실험결과를 모두 설명할 수 있는 가장 간단한 죄소 세포회로망 모델을 구성하였다. 최소 모델의 고찰 결과 고유한 감압경로의 존재가능성이 도출되었다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.181-194
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• 1990

Vasomotor area로 알려져 있던 외측연수망상체는 최근 rostral ventrolateral medulla로 불리 면서 sympathoexcitatory neuron이 집중적으로 분포하는 연수내 부위로서, 체성교감신경반사에 중요한 역할을 하는 것으로 알려지고 있어 이 부위로의 입력정보가 그동안 많은 연구가 되어온 내측 척수망상로 세포와 어떤 차이를 보이는가를 규명하고자 하였다. 1) Medial SRT 세포는 34 cell중 약 60%가 동측으로 향하였으나, lateral SRT cell의 경우 47 cell의 약 60%가 반대측으로 향하였다. 2) 각 군의 세포를 말초자극에 대한 반응성에 따라, LT cell, Deep cell, HT cell및 WDR cell로 나누었으며 유해자극을 전달하는 세포를 HT와 WDR cell이라 하고, 무해자극을 전달하는 세포와 유해자극을 전달하는 세포의 비율로 볼 때, 다른 부위에 비하여 rostral VLM에 유해자극정보가 비교적 많이 전달됨을 볼 수 있었다. 3) 평균 전도 속도는 각 군간에 유의한 차이가 없었으나, Deep cell은 HT cell보다 유의하게 빠른 전도속도를 보였다. 4) Medial SRT 세포는 척수 회백질 내에서 Rexed laminae VII및 VIII에 주로 분포하며, LRN projecting SRT cell의 경우엔 전 lamina에 걸쳐 고루 분포하였다. 이상의 결과는 내측 및 외측 망상체간의 말초 입력 정보의 차이를 보여주고 있으며, 연수 망상체의 세 부위중 특히 rostral ventrolateral medulla로 많은 동통정보가 입력되고 있어 RVLM의 기능중 하나인 체성교감반사의 통합과 연관된 역할을 하리라 기대된다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.231-243
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• 1988

This study was performed to investigate the mechanism of changes in arterial blood pressure, as a typical example of somatosympathetic reflex, induced by activation of muscular afferent nerves. Cats were anesthetized with ${\alpha}-chloraloae$ (60 mg/kg, i.p.). Afferent fibers in muscle nerve were activated by various method muscle contraction, electrical stimulation of muscle nerves, intraarterial injection of some algesic substances and noxious mechanical stimulation etc-and the evoked changes in arterial blood pressure were monitored. The effects of intravenous or direct spinal administration of morphine on the changes in arterial blood pressure induced by activation of the muscle afferent fibers were observed and also the effects of spinal lesions made in the $L1{\sim}L3$ spinal cord on them were studied to identify the ascending spinal pathways of the somatosympathetic reflexes. Followings are the results obtained. 1) The stimulation of medial gastrocnemius nerve under non-paralyzed condition with C-strength, low frequency (lower than 20 Hz) stimuli elicited a depressor response and a pressor response was elicited with C-strength, high frequency stimuli, of which the maximal response was observed at 100 Hz stimulation. 2) When the animal was paralyzed, depressor response to stimulation of the medial gastrocnemius nerve was observed with C-strength, $0.5{\sim}5Hz$ stimuli although the amplitude of the depressor response was decreased. The maximal pressor response was observed during stimulation with C-strength, $20{\sim}100Hz$ stimuli. 3) Intraarterial injection of some algesic substances induced marked pressor responses while noxious mechanical stimulation of the medial gastrocnemius muscle was not enough to elicit any significant changes (larger than 10 mmHg) in arterial blood pressure. 4) Systemically administered morphine (2 mg/kg) lowered the arterial blood pressure immediately and persistently and it was reversed by administration of naloxone. Direct spinally administered morphine did not elicit any changes. 5) The pressor response elicited by the activation of muscle afferent nerves was strengthened by systemic morphine administration while the depressor response tended to decrease. 6) Morphine administered on the spinal cord directly, decreased pressor response but did not change depressor response. From the above results it is concluded that there are separate groups of afferent nerves in the medial gastrocnemius nerve, which elicit pressor and depressor responses and the spinal ascending pathways of them are also separated from each other.