HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free All Versions of this Article: 101/1/322    most recent 00143.2006v1 Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (11) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bonham, A. C. Articles by Joad, J. P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Bonham, A. C. Articles by Joad, J. P.

INVITED REVIEW

HIGHLIGHTED TOPIC
Reflexes from the Lung and Airways

Plasticity in the nucleus tractus solitarius and its influence on lung and airway reflexes

Departments of ¹Medical Pharmacology and Toxicology and ²Pediatrics, University of California Davis, Davis, California

The nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) is the first central nervous system (CNS) site for synaptic contact of the primary afferent fibers from the lungs and airways. The signal processing at these synapses will determine the output of the sensory information from the lungs and airways to all downstream synapses in the reflex pathways. The second-order NTS neurons bring to bear their own intrinsic and synaptic properties to temporally and spatially integrate the sensory information with inputs from local networks, higher brain regions, and circulating mediators, to orchestrate a coherent reflex output. There is growing evidence that NTS neurons share the rich repertoire of forms of plasticity demonstrated throughout the CNS. This review focuses on existing evidence for plasticity in the NTS, potential targets for plasticity in the NTS, and the impact of this plasticity on lung and airway reflexes.

airways; synaptic excitability; intrinsic excitability; brain stem; cough

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. B. Swartz and D. Weinreich Influence of Vagotomy on Monosynaptic Transmission at Second-Order Nucleus Tractus Solitarius Synapses J Neurophysiol, November 1, 2009; 102(5): 2846 - 2855. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. B. Hengen, M. Behan, H. V. Carey, M. V. Jones, and S. M. Johnson Hibernation induces pentobarbital insensitivity in medulla but not cortex Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, October 1, 2009; 297(4): R1028 - R1036. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Morschel and M. Dutschmann Pontine respiratory activity involved in inspiratory/expiratory phase transition Phil Trans R Soc B, September 12, 2009; 364(1529): 2517 - 2526. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Chung Review Series: Chronic cough: Future directions in chronic cough: mechanisms and antitussives Chronic Respiratory Disease, August 1, 2007; 4(3): 159 - 165. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. Widdicombe Reflexes from the lungs and airways: historical perspective J Appl Physiol, August 1, 2006; 101(2): 628 - 634. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]