Wang Jinyu, Xu Mengfan, Zhang Lei, Liu Wenjie, Wang Siyue, Wang Liqin, Cong Ning, Li Geng-Lin, Wang Jing
ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China.
NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine Research, Shanghai, 200031, China.
Neurosci Bull. 2025 Sep 18. doi: 10.1007/s12264-025-01502-4.
Vestibular efferent neurons in the brainstem provide direct cholinergic innervation to peripheral vestibular organs, thereby modulating their sensory responsiveness. In this study, a genetically targeted mouse model with choline acetyltransferase-driven fluorescent labeling enabled the precise localization of these neurons to the dorsolateral region of the genu of the facial nerve. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in acute brainstem slices revealed that virtually all neurons exhibited spontaneous action potential firing, with marked heterogeneity in discharge patterns and after-hyperpolarization kinetics. Prominent A-type potassium currents were identified and found to be differentially regulated by acetylcholine and calcitonin gene-related peptide. Acute unilateral vestibular deprivation induced a bilateral enhancement of spontaneous firing, indicating sensitivity to altered sensory input. These findings define the intrinsic electrophysiological properties and neuromodulatory mechanisms of vestibular efferent neurons, providing mechanistic insight into their roles in both physiological regulation and adaptive plasticity within the vestibular system.
脑干中的前庭传出神经元向外周前庭器官提供直接的胆碱能神经支配，从而调节其感觉反应性。在本研究中，一种具有胆碱乙酰转移酶驱动荧光标记的基因靶向小鼠模型使这些神经元能够精确地定位到面神经膝部的背外侧区域。急性脑干切片中的全细胞膜片钳记录显示，几乎所有神经元都表现出自发性动作电位发放，在放电模式和超极化后动力学方面存在显著异质性。确定了突出的A 型钾电流，并发现其受乙酰胆碱和降钙素基因相关肽的差异调节。急性单侧前庭剥夺诱导自发性放电的双侧增强，表明对改变的感觉输入敏感。这些发现定义了前庭传出神经元的内在电生理特性和神经调节机制，为其在前庭系统的生理调节和适应性可塑性中的作用提供了机制性见解。
