Functional characteristics of the midbrain periaqueductal gray

@article{Behbehani1995FunctionalCO,
  title={Functional characteristics of the midbrain periaqueductal gray},
  author={Michael M. Behbehani},
  journal={Progress in Neurobiology},
  year={1995},
  volume={46},
  pages={575-605}
}
  • M. Behbehani
  • Published 1 August 1995
  • Medicine, Psychology
  • Progress in Neurobiology
The major functions of the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG), including pain and analgesia, fear and anxiety, vocalization, lordosis and cardiovascular control are considered in this review article. The PAG is an important site in ascending pain transmission. It receives afferents from nociceptive neurons in the spinal cord and sends projections to thalamic nuclei that process nociception. The PAG is also a major component of a descending pain inhibitory system. Activation of this system… Expand
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CHAPTER 12 – Periaqueductal Gray
TLDR
Although functional and anatomical data suggest the PAG is an important integrating center for coordinated emotional responses, the contribution of the various columns to these responses in human remains largely unknown. Expand
Role of the periaqueductal gray in expressing vocalization
Abstract In this chapter, the current knowledge about the role of the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG) in the expression of vocalization is reviewed. Electrical and pharmacological stimulation of… Expand
Afferents to the central nucleus of the amygdala and functional subdivisions of the periaqueductal gray: neuroanatomical substrates for affective behavior
TLDR
The purpose of this study was to delineate the topography and determine the origin of forebrain projections to the PAG and the ACe, as well as commonalties and differences in the pattern of afferents. Expand
Periaqueductal gray matter projection to vagal preganglionic neurons and the nucleus tractus solitarius
TLDR
The anterograde axonal tracing method using the plant lectin Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) was used to determine whether both of the lateral and ventrolateral PAG columns project to vagal preganglionic neurons and/or to the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS). Expand
The Role of Glutamatergic and Dopaminergic Neurons in the Periaqueductal Gray/Dorsal Raphe: Separating Analgesia and Anxiety
TLDR
It is found that only activation of DA neurons in the PAG/dorsal raphe produced profound analgesia without signs of anxiety, indicating that PAG /dorsAL raphe DA neurons are an important target involved in analgesia that may lead to new treatments for pain. Expand
Unmasking the mysteries of the habenula in pain and analgesia
TLDR
The habenula seems to play a role as an evaluator, acting as a major point of convergence where external stimuli is received, evaluated, and redirected for motivation of appropriate behavioral response. Expand
Periaqueductal gray matter input to cardiac-related sympathetic premotor neurons
TLDR
Both the lateral and ventrolateral PAG columns appear to be capable of modulating cardiac sympathetic functions via a series of indirect pathways involving sympathetic premotor neurons found in selected sites in the hypothalamus, midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata, with the major outflow terminating in bulbospinal regions of the rostral ventromedial medulla. Expand
Periaqueductal efferents to dopamine and GABA neurons of the VTA
TLDR
The anatomical and electrophysiological organization of the VTA-projecting PAG neurons are described and Optogenetic projection targeting demonstrated that the PAG-to-VTA pathway is predominantly excitatory and targets similar proportions of Ih-expressing VTA DA and GABA neurons. Expand
Periaqueductal efferents to dopamine and GABA neurons of the VTA
TLDR
The anatomical and electrophysiological organization of the VTA-projecting PAG neurons are described and Optogenetic projection targeting demonstrated that the PAG-to-VTA pathway is predominantly excitatory and targets similar proportions of Ih-expressing VTA DA and GABA neurons. Expand
Roles of the periaqueductal gray in descending facilitatory and inhibitory controls of intramuscular hypertonic saline induced muscle nociception
TLDR
Fos expression within different columns of the PAG increases significantly and differentially following i.m. injection of 5.8% saline in male Sprague-Dawley rats, suggesting functions of specific columns ofThe PAG in the control of spinal nociceptive activities are not homogeneous. Expand
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References

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TLDR
It is demonstrated that GABA-immunoreactive axon terminals synapse directly on neurons that give rise to the major projection from the PAG to the medullary nucleus raphe magnus (NRM), and GABAergic elements exert potent tonic inhibitory control over a variety of putative PAG functions including antinociception. Expand
The Midbrain periaqueductal gray matter : functional, anatomical, and neurochemical organization
TLDR
The Midbrain Periaqueductal Gray is used as a Coordinator of Action in Response to Fear and Anxiety in the Cat and the Rat. Expand
An electrophysiological characterization of the projection from the central nucleus of the amygdala to the periaqueductal gray of the rat: the role of opioid receptors
TLDR
It is concluded that approximately 50% of cells in the lateral and ventrolateral columns of the PAG respond to CNA stimulation; the inhibitory response is mediated by a faster conducting or a more direct pathway than the pathway that mediates the excitatory response; neurons that are inhibited by C NA stimulation have a significantly higher baseline firing rate than neurons that is excited, suggesting that they may be tonically active interneurons. Expand
Activation of serotonin1A receptors inhibits midbrain periaqueductal gray neurons of the rat
The midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG) is involved in a variety of functions including pain modulation, vocalization, autonomic control, fear and anxiety. This area contains serotonin receptors,… Expand
Evidence that an excitatory connection between the periaqueductal gray and nucleus raphe magnus mediates stimulation produced analgesia
Summary Both electrical stimulation and injection of morphine into the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG) produce analgesia in the rat. There is evidence that this analgesic effect is mediated by a… Expand
Circuitry linking opioid-sensitive nociceptive modulatory systems in periaqueductal gray and spinal cord with rostral ventromedial medulla
TLDR
Investigating the mechanisms through which local application of morphine influences the activity of one population of putative nociceptive modulatory neurons in rostral ventromedial medulla found that morphine acting in the spinal cord removes an excitatory input to on-cells suggested an inhibitory input to these cells. Expand
Interactions between the lateral hypothalamus and the periaqueductal gray
TLDR
It is concluded that an excitatory projection from the LH to PAG exists which may involve neurotensin and this pathway may be involved in the analgesia produced by LH stimulation. Expand
Organization of Spinal and Trigeminal Input to the PAG
TLDR
The present chapter reports the results of light and electron microscopic studies on the origin and termination of soma-tosensory projections to the PAG. Expand
Heterogeneous distribution of neurotensin-like immunoreactive neurons and fibers in the midbrain periaqueductal gray of the rat
TLDR
The present anatomical results suggest that NT acts on elements located predominantly in the medial and ventrolateral parts of PAG. Expand
Spinal pathways mediating tonic or stimulation-produced descending inhibition from the periaqueductal gray or nucleus raphe magnus are separate in the cat.
TLDR
The spinal pathways for tonic and stimulation-produced descending inhibition of spinal nociceptive neurons were investigated in anesthetized paralyzed cats and the relative significance of ipsi- and contralateral pathways in the dorsal, medial, or ventral aspects of the lateral funiculi for these types of descending inhibition are quantitatively described. Expand
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