Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Departments of Biochemistry and Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Trends Neurosci. 2018 May;41(5):280-293. doi: 10.1016/j.tins.2018.03.007.
The parabrachial nucleus (PBN), which is located in the pons and is dissected by one of the major cerebellar output tracks, is known to relay sensory information (visceral malaise, taste, temperature, pain, itch) to forebrain structures including the thalamus, hypothalamus, and extended amygdala. The availability of mouse lines expressing Cre recombinase selectively in subsets of PBN neurons and viruses for Cre-dependent gene expression is beginning to reveal the connectivity and functions of PBN component neurons. This review focuses on PBN neurons expressing calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) that play a major role in regulating appetite and transmitting real or potential threat signals to the extended amygdala. The functions of other specific PBN neuronal populations are also discussed. This review aims to encourage investigation of the numerous unanswered questions that are becoming accessible.
脑桥臂旁核(PBN)位于脑桥内,被小脑的主要输出轨道之一所分隔,已知其将感觉信息(内脏不适、味觉、温度、疼痛、瘙痒)中继到包括丘脑、下丘脑和扩展杏仁核在内的前脑结构。现在已经有了表达 Cre 重组酶的小鼠品系,可以选择性地在 PBN 神经元亚群中表达,以及用于 Cre 依赖性基因表达的病毒,这使得人们开始揭示 PBN 组成神经元的连接和功能。这篇综述主要关注表达降钙素基因相关肽(CGRP)的 PBN 神经元,它们在调节食欲和将真实或潜在的威胁信号传递到扩展杏仁核方面起着主要作用。本文还讨论了其他特定的 PBN 神经元群体的功能。这篇综述旨在鼓励对众多尚未解决的问题进行研究。