Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
J Neurophysiol. 2013 May;109(10):2505-16. doi: 10.1152/jn.00750.2011. Epub 2013 Feb 27.
The contribution of the zona incerta (ZI) of the thalamus on spike-wave discharges (SWDs) was investigated. Chronic recordings of bilateral cortices, bilateral vibrissa muscle, and unilateral ZI were performed in Long-Evans rats to examine the functional role of SWDs. Rhythmic ZI activity appeared at the beginning of SWD and was accompanied by higher-oscillation frequencies and larger spike magnitudes. Bilateral lidocaine injections into the mystacial pads led to a decreased oscillation frequency of SWDs, but the phenomenon of ZI-related spike magnitude enhancement was preserved. Moreover, 800-Hz ZI microstimulation terminates most of the SWDs and whisker twitching (WT; >80%). In contrast, 200-Hz ZI microstimulation selectively stops WTs but not SWDs. Stimulation of the thalamic ventroposteriomedial nucleus showed no obvious effect on terminating SWDs. A unilateral ZI lesion resulted in a significant reduction of 7- to 12-Hz power of both the ipsilateral cortical and contralateral vibrissae muscle activities during SWDs. Intraincertal microinfusion of muscimol showed a significant inhibition on SWDs. Our present data suggest that the ZI actively modulates the SWD magnitude and WT behavior.
研究了丘脑的缰核（ZI）对棘波-慢波放电（SWD）的贡献。为了研究 SWD 的功能作用，我们在长爪沙鼠中进行了双侧皮质、双侧触须肌肉和单侧 ZI 的慢性记录。在 SWD 开始时出现有节奏的 ZI 活动，同时伴随着更高的振荡频率和更大的尖峰幅度。双侧利多卡因注入触须垫导致 SWD 的振荡频率降低，但保留了与 ZI 相关的尖峰幅度增强现象。此外，800-Hz ZI 微刺激终止了大多数 SWD 和胡须抽搐（WT；>80%）。相比之下，200-Hz ZI 微刺激选择性地停止了 WT，但不会停止 SWD。丘脑腹后内侧核的刺激对终止 SWD 没有明显效果。单侧 ZI 损伤导致 SWD 期间同侧皮质和对侧触须肌肉活动的 7-12-Hz 功率显著降低。ZI 内微量注射 muscimol 对 SWD 表现出显著抑制作用。我们目前的数据表明，ZI 主动调节 SWD 幅度和 WT 行为。
