Amplitudes and time courses of milk ejection bursts of oxytocin neurons in the midbrain-hemitransected lactating rat.

In the midbrain-hemitransected rats, 22 pairs of oxytocin neurons were recorded from 17 rats. Of the bursts on the lesioned side, the amplitude was smaller, the onset time was later and the burst span was shorter (P < 0.01). These results indicated that the amplitude and time course of the burst of oxytocin neurons mainly depend on suckling information from the nipples on their opposite side.