Abstract

We investigated the effects of a GABA B agonist baclofen, and serotonin, on the high voltage-activated Ca channel (HVACC) currents in trigeminal motoneurons. Immunohistochemical and reverse transcription-polymerization chain reaction (RT-PCR) studies demonstrated the expression of α 1C, α 1B, α 1A, and α 1E subunits in the trigeminal motoneurons, which form L-, N-, P/Q-, and R-type Ca channels, respectively. By use of specific Ca blockers, it was found that N-type (38%), P/Q-type (27%), L-type (16 %), and R-type Ca currents (19%) contribute to HVACC I Ba. Baclofen inhibited HVACC I Ba in the majority of trigeminal motoneurons tested ( n=15 out of 16 ), whereas serotonin only did in a small population ( n=5 out of 18 ). The I Ba inhibition by baclofen and serotonin was associated with slowing of activation kinetics, relieved by strong prepulse, and prevented by N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), indicative of mediation of Gi/Go. These data provide evidence that GABAergic and serotonergic inputs to trigeminal motoneurons regulate neuronal activities through the inhibition of HVACC currents.

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