The enkephalinergic innervation of the genioglossus musculature in the rat: implications for the respiratory control of the tongue

This study sought to determine if the enkephalinergic (ENK) innervation of the hypoglossal nucleus (nXII) in the rat was organized differentially for the control of the genioglossus musculature whose activity is essential in maintaining the patency of the upper airway. Immunocytochemical results rev...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brain research 1998-01, Vol.780 (1), p.67-73
Main Author: Aldes, Leonard D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Enkephalin
Enkephalins - physiology
Female
Hypoglossal Nerve - physiology
Hypoglossal nucleus
Immunohistochemistry
Motor Neurons - physiology
Neuromuscular Junction - physiology
Rat
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Respiration
Respiration - physiology
Tongue
Tongue - innervation
Upper airway
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Summary:This study sought to determine if the enkephalinergic (ENK) innervation of the hypoglossal nucleus (nXII) in the rat was organized differentially for the control of the genioglossus musculature whose activity is essential in maintaining the patency of the upper airway. Immunocytochemical results revealed that the genioglossus motoneuron pool, comprising the ventrolateral subcompartment of the nXII, was consistently and heavily labeled throughout its rostrocaudal dimension. Labeling was characterized by dense focal clustering throughout the neuropil, and by the appearance of numerous perisomatic-like profiles. Similarly, the ventromedial subcompartment mainly rostrally, and the dorsal compartment caudally, whose motoneurons control the caudal intrinsic protrusor and rostral retrusor muscles, respectively, were also consistently labeled. While these results demonstrate that the genioglossus musculature is targeted by ENK inputs, they also suggest that other selected musculature of the tongue is controlled by ENK. It is argued that the innervation pattern identified in the present study is consistent with a functional role for ENK in the respiratory control of the tongue.
ISSN:0006-8993
1872-6240
DOI:10.1016/S0006-8993(97)01126-8