Faculty Collaboration Database

High proportions of respiratory and non-respiratory modulated pre-Bötzinger complex neurons receive monosynaptic inputs from the pontine respiratory group in rabbit. Respir Physiol Neurobiol 2026 Jul;343:104591

Date

05/17/2026

Pubmed ID

42142686

Pubmed Central ID

PMC13222644

DOI

10.1016/j.resp.2026.104591

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-105039314446 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)

Abstract

Synaptic drive from the pontine respiratory group (PRG) to the pre-Bötzinger complex (pre-BötC) is an accepted feature of network models of respiratory rhythm and pattern generation. Surprisingly, data on functional analysis of the prevalence of monosynaptic connections to neurons in the pre-BötC are limited. In the in vivo decerebrate rabbit preparation (n = 15), we analyzed post-stimulus time-histograms (PSTH) of n = 501 multi-electrode array recorded pre-BötC neurons after electrical stimulation of the PRG. PSTH analysis revealed short latency (<15 ms) peaks or troughs classified as monosynaptic excitatory or inhibitory pontine synaptic inputs. Overall, 79% of all recorded respiratory neurons received synaptic inputs; 42% received purely excitatory input whereas 31% received both excitatory and inhibitory signals and only 6% of the population received solely inhibitory inputs. Variations of PCO₂ levels did not influence PSTHs illustrating that central chemoreceptor drive does not modulate the overall strength of ponto-medullary synaptic interactions. The latter is consistent with anatomical data that suggests that the vast majority of neuronal projections from the PRG are excitatory. Overall, the high degree of functional anatomic connectivity between the PRG and pre-BötC observed in the present study further supports the notion of an anatomically distributed but functionally compartmentalized neuronal network that generates and modulates the respiratory rhythm and motor pattern.

Author List

Feng Y, Dillard ML, Callison JJ, Zuperku EJ, Stucke AG

Author

Astrid G. Stucke MD Professor in the Anesthesiology department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Animals
Electric Stimulation
Male
Neurons
Pons
Rabbits
Respiration
Respiratory Center
Synapses