The superficial layer of the

superior colliculus (sSC) is a brain structure capable of such functions, as sSC neurons exhibit sharp transient spike discharges with short latency in response to the appearance of a visual stimulus. However, how transient activity is generated in the sSC is poorly understood. Here, we show that inhibitory inputs actively shape transient activity in the sSC. Juxtacellular recordings from anesthetized mice demonstrate that almost all types of sSC neurons, which were identified by post hoc histochemistry, show transient spike discharges, i.e., ON activity, immediately after visual stimulus onset. ON activity was followed by a pause before the visual stimulus was turned selleck inhibitor off. To determine whether the pause reflected the absence of excitatory drive or inhibitory conductance, we injected depolarizing currents juxtasomally, which enabled us to observe inhibition as decreased discharges.

The pause was observed even under this condition, suggesting that PD 332991 inhibitory input caused the pause. We further found that local application of a mixture of GABA(A) and GABA(B) receptor antagonists additively diminished the pause. These results indicate that GABAergic inputs produce transient ON responses by attenuating excitatory activity through the cooperative activation of GABA(A) and GABA(B) receptors, allowing sSC neurons to act as a saliency detector. (c) 2013 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Objective: Classical conditioning processes are important for the generation and persistence of symptoms Afatinib cost in psychosomatic disorders, such as the fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Pharmacologically induced hyper- and hypocortisolism were shown to affect trace but not delay classical eyeblink

conditioning. As previous studies revealed a relative hypocortisolism in FMS patients, we hypothesized that FMS patients also show altered eyeblink conditioning. Methods: FMS patients (n = 30) and healthy control subjects (n = 20) matched for gender and age were randomly assigned to a delay or trace eyeblink conditioning protocol, where conditioned eyeblink response probability was assessed by electromyogram. Morning cortisol levels, ratings of depression, anxiety as well as psychosomatic complaints, general symptomatology, and psychological distress were assessed. Results: As compared with healthy controls, FMS patients showed lower morning cortisol levels, corroborating previously described disturbances in neuroendocrine regulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in these patients. Trace eyeblink conditioning was facilitated in FMS patients, whereas delay eyeblink conditioning was reduced, and cortisol measures correlated significantly only with trace eyeblink conditioning.