A Discrete Glycinergic Neuronal Population in the Ventromedial Medulla That Induces Muscle Atonia during REM Sleep and Cataplexy in Mice.

ABSTRACT: During rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, anti-gravity muscle tone and bodily movements are mostly absent, because somatic motoneurons are inhibited by descending inhibitory pathways. Recent studies showed that glycine/GABA neurons in the ventromedial medulla (VMM; Gly^VMM neurons) play an important role in generating muscle atonia during REM sleep (REM-atonia). However, how these REM-atonia-inducing neurons interconnect with other neuronal populations has been unknown. In the present study, we first identified a specific subpopulation of Gly^VMM neurons that play an important role in induction of REM-atonia by virus vector-mediated tracing in male mice in which glycinergic neurons expressed Cre recombinase. We found these neurons receive direct synaptic input from neurons

SUBMITTER: Uchida S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7896014 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature