Evidence for colocalization of substance P and 5-hydroxytryptamine in spinally projecting neurons from the cat medulla oblongata.

Substance P (SP)- and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-like immunoreactivities were localized in bulbospinal neurons of the raphe nuclei and ventrolateral medulla (VLM). In raphe pallidus and raphe obscurus virtually all of the spinally projecting neurons contained SP and/or 5-HT. Furthermore, SP and 5-HT were colocalized in half of these spinal-raphe neurons. In raphe magnus few spinally projecting neurons contained either SP or 5-HT. Half of the bulbospinal neurons in the caudal VLM contained SP and/or 5-HT and in 50% of these SP and 5-HT were colocalized. However, no SP-containing neurons in the rostral VLM projected to the spinal cord.