Medial pontine reticular

Baghdoyan, H. A. Lydic, R. (1999). M2 muscarinic receptor subtype in the feline medial pontine reticular formation modulates the amount of rapid eye movement sleep. Sleep 22, 835-47. 

Greene, R. W., Gerber, U. McCarley, R. W. (1989). Cholinergic activation of medial pontine reticular formation neurons in vitro. Brain Res. 476, 154-9. 

ACh regulates the cortical arousal characteristic of both REM sleep and wakefulness (Semba, 1991, 2000 Sarter Bruno, 1997, 2000). Medial regions of the pontine reticular formation (Figs. 5.2 and 5.7) contribute to regulating both the state of REM sleep and the trait of EEG activation. Within the medial pontine reticular formation, presynaptic cholinergic terminals (Fig. 5.1) that release ACh also are endowed with muscarinic cholinergic receptors (Roth et al, 1996). Autoreceptors are defined as presynaptic receptors that bind the neurotransmitter that is released from the presynaptic terminal (Kalsner, 1990). Autoreceptors provide feedback modulation of transmitter release. Autoreceptor activation... 

C) and (D) highlight a cholinergic LDT/PPT neuron (C) that was identified via retrograde fluorescent tracer (D) as projecting to the medial pontine reticular formation. (Modified from Lydic Baghdoyan, 2005). (See also Plate 4.)... 

Marks, G. A. Birabil, C. G. (2000). Infusion of adenylyl cyclase inhibitor SQ22.536 into the medial pontine reticular formation of rats enhances rapid eye movement sleep. Neuroscience 98, 31115. 

Velazquez-Moctezuma, J., Shalauta, M. D., Gillin, J. C. 8r Shiromani, P. J. (1990a). Microinjections of nicotine in the medial pontine reticular formation elicits REM sleep. Neurosci Lett. 115, 265-8. 

Many sites within the pons and medulla that contribute to the increased levels of arousal that characterize wakefulness and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep are under glutamatergic control. The pontine reticular formation, for example, is involved in phenomena related to REM sleep and to motor activity during wakefulness. Glutamatergic neurotransmission also mediates the responses of cells of the medial pontine reticular formation. These cells are depolarized and... 

The neural structures involved in the promotion of the waking (W) state are located in the (1) brainstem [dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), median raphe nucleus (MRN), locus coeruleus (LC), laterodorsal and pedunculopontine tegmental nuclei (LDT/PPT), and medial-pontine reticular formation (mPRF)] (2) hypothalamus [tuberomammillary nucleus (TMN) and lateral hypothalamus (LH)[ (3) basal forebrain (BFB) (medial septal area, nucleus basalis of Meynert) and (4) midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) (Pace-Schott Hobson, 2002 Jones, 2003). The following neurotransmitters function to promote W (1) acetylcholine (ACh LDT/PPT, BFB) (2) noradrenaline (NA LC) (3) serotonin (5-HT DRN, MRN) (4) histamine (HA TMN) (5) glutamate (GLU mPRF, BFB, thalamus) (6) orexin (OX LH) and (7) dopamine (DA VTA, SNc) (Zoltoski et al, 1999 Monti, 2004). 

Iwakiri, H., Matsuyama, K. Mori, S. (1993). Extracellular levels of serotonin in the medial pontine reticular formation in relation to sleep-wake cycle in cats a microdialysis study. Neurosci. Res. 18, 157-70. 

Microinjection of nicotine in the medial pontine reticular formation elicits REM sleep. Neurosci. Lett. 115, 265-8. 

Kohlmeier KA, Reiner PB. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide excites medial pontine reticular formation neurons in the brainstem rapid eye movement sleep-induction zone. J Neurosci 1999 19 4073-81. 

For example, increase in sleep latency, sleep fragmentation and decreased slow-wave sleep with reduced sleep efficiency and increased daytime sleepiness are observed during nicotine consumption. Nicotine-induced rapid eye movement (REM) sleep suppression is also known. Some researchers have not detected any effect of nicotine on sleep [217]. In contrast, when administered intravenously [218], subcutaneously [219], or into the medial pontine reticular formation [220], nicotine is reported to increase REM sleep in cats. Moreover, some human studies employing transdermal nicotine report a decreased total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and REM sleep and an increase in wakefulness [221, 222]. On the other hand, depressive nonsmokers experience a mood improvement under nicotine administration comparable to the effect of antidepressants. Actually, transdermal... 

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