Abstract
This study examines the effect of acetylcholine (Ach) on parasympathetic vagal neurons in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMNX). Patch-clamp techniques were utilized to examine voltage and ligand-gated currents in visualized DMNX neurons in an in-vitro slice. Ach (100 μM) activated an inward current, −196.4 ± 56.9 pA at −80 mV ( n = 15) that was accompanied by a decrease in membrane resistance of 48.6 ± 9.2% in a population of DMNX neurons. The reversal potential for this ligand-gated current was −11.3 ± 11.5 mV. The specific agonist nicotine (200 μM) elicited similar responses. Nicotine decreased membrane resistance by 60.9 ± 4.3% and activated an inward current (−215.7 ± 45.7 pA at −80 mV) that reversed at −12.7 ± 20.4 mV ( n = 16). Bethanecol (100 μM), a specific muscarinic agonist, had no effect. Neither Ach or nicotine had any effect on the voltage-gated sodium and outward potassium currents present in these neurons.
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