Neuronal activity in the dorsal hippocampus after lateral hypothalamus stimulation: effects of delta-sleep-inducing peptide.

ABSTRACT

We studied central effects of delta-sleep-inducing peptide in the mechanisms of positive emotional state formation in rats. In Wistar rats preliminary tested in an open field, the reactions of 57 neurons of the dorsal hippocampus were analyzed during lateral hypothalamus stimulation and microionophoretic application of delta-sleep-inducing peptide. It was found that the number of neurons not responding to stimulation in the lateral hypothalamus surpassed the number of sensitive neurons (63 and 37%, respectively). Hippocampal neurons in active animals were less sensitive to stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus than in passive rats (33 vs. 42%) After application of delta-sleep-inducing peptide, only 28% neurons responded to stimulation. Thus, delta-sleep-inducing peptide reduced the sensitivity of hippocampal neurons to stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus.