Respiratory activation of neurons in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) and effect of CeA neuron stimulation on respiration (1178.5)

Abstract

Respiratory disease causes aversive responses, which can elicit panic or anxiety. It is known that the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is involved in fear and anxiety emotion, however, the ventilator pattern modulation by CeA is unclear. We hypothesized that tracheal obstruction would elicit activation of CeA neurons and electrical stimulation of within the CeA would cause specific changes in breathing frequency (BF). Tracheal occlusions were applied to anesthetized rats and those rat brains were subsequently sectioned and stained for c‐Fos expression. c‐Fos expressions were found in CeA in the tracheal occlusion group, which suggests that CeA is activated by the mechanical respiratory sensory afferent from the trachea. Micorelectrode electrical stimulation was systematically applied to sites in CeA. The sites with greatest increase and decrease of the BF were identified. The sites with greatest increased BF were located at the rostral part of the dorsal medial border of CeA. The greatest decreased BF responses were observed in the ventral caudal part of CeA. The BF changes after the electrical stimulations indicate that the specific areas of the CeA facilitate or inhibit the respiratory neural drive. The opposite responses found in different CeA sites suggest that the central nucleus of the amygdala can regulate respiratory pattern via multiple pathways.