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Monosynaptic entrainment of an endogenous pacemaker network: A cellular mechanism for von Holst's magnet effect

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Summary

  1. 1.

    The pyloric rhythm of the lobster (Panulirus interruptus, Palinurus vulgaris) stomatogastric ganglion is generated by a set of 3 electrically coupled endogenously bursting neurons. The phasic coordinating effects of monosynaptic excitatory (EPSP) and inhibitory (IPSP) inputs to these neurons were examined in isolated nervous systems.

  2. 2.

    Periodic stimulation of both inputs at frequencies near the endogenous frequency of the pacemakers can produce large cycle by cycle variations in the burst period of the system (Fig. 4). Similar variation in PD burst period is also observed in intact freely behaving animals (Fig. 2).

  3. 3.

    The effect of both inputs depends on the phase at which they occur in the endogenous pacemaker cycle. Both EPSP's and IPSP's can advance or delay subsequent bursts. The two inputs exhibit qualitatively different characteristic phase response curves (Figs. 5, 6).

  4. 4.

    Both EPSP's and IPSP's can entrain the endogenous rhythm (Figs. 7, 8). The coordinating effects of EPSP's are stronger when their repetition frequency is slightly higher than the endogenous pacemaker frequency, while those produced by IPSP's are stronger when the repetition frequency of the input is slightly slower than the repetition frequency of the oscillator.

  5. 5.

    The phase relationships of the discharge of the pacemakers in the stimulus cycle are qualitatively different when the cyclic stimulus is slower or faster than the endogenous rhythm for both types of inputs (Fig. 9). The entrainment of the oscillator by EPSP inputs which repeat at a frequency which is greater than the endogenous frequency can be attributed to the input triggering the burst of spikes at a fixed latency (Fig. 10).

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Abbreviations

IVN :

inferior ventricular nerve

LP :

lateral pyloric motor neuron

PD :

pyloric dilator motor neuron

PY :

pyloric motor neuron

VD :

ventricular dilator motor neuron

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Author notes

  1. Joseph L. Ayers Jr.

    Present address: Department of Biology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, 02115, Boston, MA, USA

  2. Allen I. Selverston

    Present address: Department of Biology, B-022, University of California, 92093, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CNRS-INP-10, 31 chemin Joseph Aiguier, F-13 Marseille Cedex 2, France

    Joseph L. Ayers Jr. & Allen I. Selverston

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  1. Joseph L. Ayers Jr.
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  2. Allen I. Selverston
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Additional information

Supported by: NSF Grant GB-39945 and PHS Grant NS-09322

Supported by: US-France Exchange of Scientists Fellowship FR-016

We are indebted to Drs. W.J. Davis, W.B. Kristan, M. Gola, S. Grillner, H. M. Pinsker and P. S. G. Stein for critical review of the manuscript and valuable discussion.

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Ayers, J.L., Selverston, A.I. Monosynaptic entrainment of an endogenous pacemaker network: A cellular mechanism for von Holst's magnet effect. J. Comp. Physiol. 129, 5–17 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00679907

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