López H S, Carrer H F
Physiol Behav. 1985 Aug;35(2):205-8. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(85)90337-3.
In order to test the hypothesis that peripeduncular nucleus (PPN) cells are essential for normal sexual behavior, synaptic blockade in the chronically implanted awake animal was attempted by means of the local injection of pentobarbital (PB) at a concentration which may interfere with synaptic transmission without affecting conduction in fibers. Ovariectomized, female rats were chronically implanted with cannulae directed to the PPN or the dorsal midbrain. After adequate estrogen priming, rats were injected with 22 mM pentobarbital (PB) or artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF). Seven min after PB injection in PPN lordosis quotient was significantly lowered, whereas PB in dorsal midbrain or ACSF in PPN had no effect. It is concluded that PPN neurons themselves may have a functional role in the control of lordosis and that loss of PPN neurons may account for impairment of reproductive behavior observed after lesions in the ventrolateral midbrain.
为了验证脚周核（PPN）细胞对正常性行为至关重要这一假设，我们尝试通过在长期植入清醒动物体内的情况下，局部注射戊巴比妥（PB）来阻断突触传递，注射浓度选择在可能干扰突触传递而不影响纤维传导的范围。对雌性大鼠进行卵巢切除术后，长期植入套管，使其指向脚周核或中脑背侧。在给予足够的雌激素预处理后，给大鼠注射22 mM戊巴比妥（PB）或人工脑脊液（ACSF）。在脚周核注射PB 7分钟后，脊柱前凸商显著降低，而在中脑背侧注射PB或在脚周核注射ACSF则没有效果。由此得出结论，脚周核神经元自身可能在脊柱前凸控制中发挥功能作用，并且脚周核神经元的丧失可能是腹外侧中脑损伤后观察到的生殖行为受损的原因。
