In vivo spontaneous activity and coital-evoked inhibition of mouse accessory olfactory bulb output neurons

ABSTRACT: Summary Little is known about estrous effects on brain microcircuits. We examined the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) in vivo, in anesthetized naturally cycling females, as model microcircuit receiving coital somatosensory information. Whole-cell recordings demonstrate that output neurons are relatively hyperpolarized in estrus and unexpectedly fire high frequency bursts of action potentials. To mimic coitus, a calibrated artificial vagino-cervical stimulation (aVCS) protocol was devised. aVCS evoked stimulus-locked local field responses in the interneuron layer independent of estrous stage. The response is sensitive to α1-adrenergic receptor blockade, as expected since aVCS increases norepinephrine release in AOB. Intriguingly, only in estrus does aVCS inhibit AOB spike output. Estrus-spec

SUBMITTER: Lorenzon P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10470370 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature