Comparison of firing patterns and sensory responsiveness between supraoptic and other hypothalamic neurons in the unanesthetized sheep.

Adult Southdown ewes were surgically prepared with pituitary stimulating electrodes, carotid and jugular cannulae, and a cranial platform-cylinder arrangement for chronic single unit recording. Isolated neurons (n = 112) in the region of the supraoptic nucleus (SON) were identified by pituitary stalk stimulastion as AD + (antidromically invaded) SON neuroendocrine cells (n = 75) or AD--(not antidromically invaded) SON neurons (n = 37). Spontaneous firing pattern distribution and sensory evoked behavior of these SON region neurons were compared with activity recorded from 112 randomly located non-identified neurons of extra-SON areas of the hypothalamus. Spontaneous discharge activity was categorized into six distinct firing pattern types: continuously active slow (CAS), continuously active fast (CAF), continuously active bursting (CAB), continuously active regular (CAR), low frequency bursting (LFB), and high frequency bursting (HFB). These 6 firing pattern types were characterized by computer analysis and their mean order independent statistical parameters compared. Bursting discharge patterns (LFB, HFB, and CAB) were compared with respect to mean burst duration, burst mean firing rate, and interburst interavls. Ninety-three per cent of all neurons maintained a stable discharge pattern in the absence of apparent stimuli. Occasionally CAS and CAF neurons spontaneously generated spike clusters sufficient to give the transient appearance of a bursting discharge pattern and LFB neurons lapsed spontaneously into CAS acitivity. All 6 firing pattern types recorded from non-identified extra-SON neurons were also recorded in the SON region. However, spontaneously discharging AD+ SON neurons exhibited only continuously active slow (CAS), continuously active fast (CAF), and low frequency bursting (LFB) activity. The total absence of high frequency bursting (HFB), continuously active regular (CAR), and continuously active bursting (CAB) patterns of discharge from AD+ SON neurons suggests that AD- SON neurons exhibiting these firing patterns may function as interneurons, pacemaker neurons, or receptor neurons. A significant number of LFB discharging neurons were recorded in widespread extra-SON regions of the hypothalamus, indicating this discharge pattern may not be unique to magnocellular neuroendocrine cells. AD+ SON LFB neurons sampled in this study demonstrated a significantly longer mean interburst interval (20.86 sec) compared to extra-SON LFB neurons (12.43 sec). No AD+ SON neuron tested was significantly sensitive to non-specific sensory arousal or sleep-waking state changes. In extra-SON areas of the hypothalamus, 11 of 75 neurons tested to sensory arousal and 6 of 19 neurons tested to sleep-waking changes responded with significant changes in mean firing rate (MFR); no significant difference between firing pattern types was demonstrated in arousal or sleep-waking sensitivity...