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Biomedical subjects

G Ehret

Publications and source records attributed to G Ehret.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Oestrogen receptor occurrence in the male mouse brain: modulation by paternal experience.

Paternal behaviour (pup-searching and retrieving of pups) was studied in male house mice with different experience in pup care and oestrogen receptor immunoreactive (ER-IR) cells were localized and quantified in their brains. Experience with pups induced paternal behaviour and correlated with (a) the occurrence of ER-IR cells in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, hippocampus, subiculum, lateral septal nuclei, entorhinal and piriform cortex, (b) increased numbers of ER-IR cells in the medial preoptic area and arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, and (c) decreased presence of ER-IR cells in the periventricular grey of the midbrain. The data indicate oestrogen receptor modulation in the male brain and suggest that oestrogen binding in distinct brain areas is involved in the regulation of paternal behaviour.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Subcellular localization of immunoreactive oxytocin within thymic epithelial cells of the male mouse.

Immunoreactive oxytocin is expressed by thymic epithelial cells, which share properties with neuroendocrine cells. In order to investigate the assumed paracrine secretion of oxytocin, we studied the subcellular localization of immunoreactive oxytocin within thymic tissue and cultured thymic epithelial cells of the male mouse. Three types of immunoreactive cells were distinguished with the electron microscope. Immunoreactive oxytocin was found to be restricted to the cytoplasm by the use of pre- and postembedding methods. Some epithelial cells, especially in the cortex, showed a pronounced labelling of vesicular membranes and membrane tubules of the endoplasmic reticulum. In some cells, keratin filaments were associated with the electron-dense stain. Under culture conditions immunoreactive cells of different shapes were found, all displaying similar patterns of labelling. The contents of different types of vacuoles were only rarely labelled. A special class of immunoreactive exocytotic vesicles could not be identified. Thus, our results do not support neuroendocrine secretion of oxytocin via vesicles of thymic epithelial cells but offer alternative modes of secretion.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

The auditory cortex of the mouse: connections of the ultrasonic field.

The cortical and subcortical connections of the ultrasonic field (UF) of the auditory cortex of the house mouse (Mus musculus) were studied by using retrograde and anterograde transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Small amounts of HRP were locally injected into the electrophysiologically defined UF. Superficial (layer I-IV) and deep (layer IV-VI) injections were prepared. Superficial injections led to labelling of both cells (retrograde) and terminals (anterograde) in areas of the ipsilateral primary and secondary auditory cortex and in its dorsoposterior field, in an ipsilateral dorsal association area (patches of label), probably in ipsilateral secondary somatosensory cortex, in the contralateral homotopic UF, and in the ipsilateral medial geniculate body (MGBv, MGBd, and MGBm) and caudal posterior nucleus complex. Deep injections showed the same connectivities as superficial ones and, in addition, terminals in the very caudal caudatoputamen, in the nucleus limitans and the nucleus reticularis of the thalamus, in the rostral pole, the dorsomedial, and lateral nucleus of the inferior colliculus, in the stratum griseum intermediale of the superior colliculus, and in a pontine nucleus ventromedial of the lateral lemniscus. All these projections occurred only ipsilaterally. The majority of connections, except those with the nucleus limitans, superior colliculus and pontine nucleus, suggest that UF is part of the primary anditory cortex (AI) and/or of the anterior anditory field (AAF) of the auditory cortex. Since UF has no regular tonotopy, this has important implications for the functional role that AI/AAF can have in communication-sound analysis.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Development of tone response thresholds, latencies and tuning in the mouse inferior colliculus.

The development of tone response thresholds, latencies and tuning of neurons in the inferior colliculus (IC) of the mouse has been investigated between postnatal days 10 (first responses) and 20. As in adults, response thresholds of neurons are lowest in the center of the IC compared with other areas right from the beginning of responsiveness at day 10. Thresholds decrease rapidly until at days 16-20 (depending on the characteristic frequency of the neurons) adult levels are reached. Response latencies decrease rapidly to adult levels at days 16-18. Broad frequency tuning curves can be measured at days 10 and 11. From day 12 onwards, tuning curve shapes differentiate and adult diversity occurs which indicates presence of inhibition and summation in the pathway to or within the IC at that early age. The tip lengths of the tuning curves increase faster than the sharpness of the tips (Q10 dB values). The developmental courses of the measured parameters are expressed by power functions. The time constants of these functions are used in the discussion of processes underlying the functional maturation in the auditory system of the mouse. The general course of the development of all the here investigated response properties of single neurons in the IC, except tuning curve shape, appears to be determined by maturation at or peripheral to the cochlear level.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed1991

Neuronal activity and tonotopy in the auditory system visualized by c-fos gene expression.

Responsiveness in the cochlear nucleus complex and inferior colliculus of the mouse to tonal stimulation is labelled via immunocytochemically stained Fos protein that is expressed by c-fos gene activation in excited neurons. The locations of Fos-positive neurons closely reproduce the tonotopic maps in the dorsal cochlear nucleus and inferior colliculus. Thus, the c-fos method can demonstrate stimulus-related local neuronal activation on a single-cell level and may be useful to complement other mapping techniques such as electrophysiological recording or 2-deoxyglucose autoradiography.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed1991

Parental behavior in the mouse: effects of lesions in the entorhinal/piriform cortex.

The effects of bilateral radiofrequency lesions in the region of the entorhinal and piriform cortex (ENT/PIR cortex) on pup-retrieving and ultrasound-elicited pup-searching behavior were investigated in ovariectomized estrogen-treated female mice, which were sensitized to pups by co-caring for a litter for 5 days together with the mother (FoEBex), as well as in primiparous lactating females (Flact). A further group of FoEBex were rendered anosmic by an intranasal treatment with zinc sulfate-solution before the sensitization period and tests for parental motivation. Both pup-retrieving and pup-searching behavior were disturbed to the same extent by ENT/PIR lesions and ZnSO4-induced anosmia in FoEBex. In Flact, however, pup-retrieving was not affected by the lesion, while ultrasound-recognition leading to pup-searching was disrupted. The present data suggest sensitization to pups as a case of olfactory learning and thus, the effects of the ENT/PIR lesions are regarded as anterograde olfactory amnesia. From the present data and results reported in the literature, it is suggested to differentiate between the neural substrates processing stimuli relevant for the appetitive component (pup-searching) of parental behavior (among others, the region of the entorhinal and piriform cortex), and the mechanisms regulating the consummatory component (pup-retrieving).

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Development of tonotopy in the inferior colliculus. I. Electrophysiological mapping in house mice.

The development of the size and tonotopy of the mouse inferior colliculus (IC) was studied at postnatal ages of 9-20 days. During that time, the size of the IC remained constant in all 3 planes (rostrocaudal, mediolateral dorsoventral). At day 10, the first low-frequency responses without tonotopy could be recorded from neurons in the rostral and central parts of the central nucleus sparing its caudal part, very medial portions, the medial part (M) of the central nucleus, the dorsal cortex and the lateral nucleus. Then, an extension of the frequency responsiveness occurred towards (1) the caudal pole which was reached by about day 14, (2) the dorsal surface reached between days 12 and 14, (3) the ventral border of the IC reached by about day 15. The high-frequency nucleus of the IC (M part of the central nucleus) remained unresponsive to tones up to day 13. Between days 10 and 20, there was a constant increase of highest characteristic frequencies (CFs) measurable of neurons in the IC. During that time, lowest measurable CFs remained rather constant. Neurons at a given constant collicular depth of more than about 400 microm showed a clear shift of CF from low to high, that is, they were tuned to the higher frequencies the older the animals were. Cochlear and collicular origins of this observed shift of tonotopy are discussed.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed1989

Immunocytochemical localization and quantitation of estrogen-binding cells in the male and female (virgin, pregnant, lactating) mouse brain.

Estrogen-binding cells in the brains of male, virgin, pregnant, and lactating female mice were localized and quantified using an immunocytochemical technique. Nuclear estrogen-receptors were detected in cells of the midbrain periventricular gray, the cortical and medial amygdaloid nucleus, the arcuate nucleus and ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus, the anterior hypothalamic area and the preoptic area in animals of all 4 experimental groups. In virgin females, immunostaining was also seen in the hippocampus, the entorhinal and piriform cortex and in the septal nuclei. In pregnant females the anterior amygdaloid area and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis were labelled additionally. After the first 5 days of lactation, estrogen-binding cells could no longer be detected in the hippocampus, entorhinal and piriform cortex and anterior amygdaloid area. These apparent qualitative differences in the pattern of estrogen-receptor immunostaining among the experimental groups are further accentuated by significant quantitative differences in the absolute numbers and relative densities of labelled cells in a given nucleus. Pregnant females have the highest numbers of estrogen-binding cells in many nuclei, whereas lactating females have the highest densities of labelled cells. These differences suggest a dynamic regulation of the number and distribution of estrogen-target cells in the respective brain areas initiated by, or as a result of hormonal states of the animals. Functional implications are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Estradiol and parental experience, but not prolactin are necessary for ultrasound recognition and pup-retrieving in the mouse.

The effects of estradiol, prolactin and experience with pups on pup-retrieving and on the recognition of ultrasonic distress calls of the young by adult ovariectomized female mice were studied. Treatment with estradiol benzoate or experience with pups (for 5 days) induced pup-retrieving in 40% and 60% of the animals, respectively, as compared to 0% in inexperienced ovariectomized females. However, if pup-experience was achieved in the presence of estradiol, retrieving was shown by 90.5% of the animals. In addition, in this case models of the ultrasonic distress calls of the pups were significantly preferred ("recognized") in a discrimination task by the females. These females also showed a sharp increase in serum prolactin concentrations. Depleting prolactin from the blood by cysteamine, however, neither reduced the retrieving score nor disturbed ultrasound recognition. Thus prolactin is dispensable for maintaining maternal pup-retrieving and ultrasound recognition. The process of achieving pup-experience is enhanced by the presence of estradiol. Possible actions of estradiol in the brain are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Neuronal discharge rate is unsuitable for encoding sound intensity at the inferior-colliculus level.

Rate-intensity functions from single neurons in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICC) of the cat in response to tone bursts and continuous noise were recorded. Only 6% of 64 quantitatively studied neurons had monotonic functions in response to tone bursts, 12.5% in response to continuous noise. The other neurons had functions with a single peak which could occur at any super-threshold level tested (3-80 dB), or with multiple peaks. In 78% of the neurons the rate-intensity functions in response to tones and noise were of different shape. We interpret this stimulus dependency of the shape of rate-intensity functions of most neurons as evidence against sound-intensity coding only on the basis of the shape of rate-intensity functions at the ICC level. Rate-intensity functions averaged from neurons with similar characteristic frequencies or from all neurons of our sample indicate a constant average discharge over at least 60 dB sound intensity. This excludes sound-intensity coding by means of an average neuronal discharge rate in the ICC.

Air Pressure↗
PubMed1988

Haloperidol- and apomorphine-induced changes in pup searching behaviour of house mice.

Maternal pup searching behaviour of lactating house mice treated with apomorphine, haloperidol or saline was examined on a running board with a central depression as a nest. Pup searching was elicited by artificial ultrasonic stimuli: a female moved out from the nest either towards a 50 kHz tone (key stimulus) which is adequate to activate species specific pup searching behaviour or towards a 20 kHz tone (neutral stimulus), thus showing her preference for one of these stimuli. Under apomorphine (0.00625; 0.0125; 0.025 mg/kg) the females preferred the key stimulus. Nevertheless apomorphine (0.00625-0.025 mg/kg) prolonged response latencies and shortened the duration of pup searching. At the highest dose (0.05 mg/kg), apomorphine induced stereotyped sniffing. Haloperidol (0.025; 0.05; 0.1 mg/kg) had opposite effects to apomorphine: it lowered the threshold for elicitation, shortened response latencies and prolonged the duration of pup searching. Females treated with haloperidol (0.025-0.1 mg/kg) did not prefer the key stimulus. Changes in response elicitation and in the performance of pup searching induced by apomorphine and haloperidol, respectively, were assumed to be due to i) a reduced and an increased responsiveness to external stimuli respectively, ii) an enhanced and a reduced tendency for response switching respectively, and iii) a preference for spontaneous behaviour in apomorphine-treated females, with an increased dependence on exteroceptive stimuli following haloperidol.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed1988

Accessory pathway for sound transfer in a neotropical frog.

A portion of the lateral body wall overlying the lung cavity of the arboreal frog, Eleutherodactylus coqui, vibrates in response to free-field sound. Peak displacement amplitude of the body wall in response to a natural call note presented at 73 decibels sound pressure level is 1.70 X 10(-9) m, roughly 8 decibels less than that of the ipsilateral eardrum, as measured by laser Doppler vibrometry. We show that the vibration magnitude varies predictably across the body profile and is posture and frequency dependent. Two routes to the inner ear are described for sounds impinging on the body wall; either of these accessory pathways could modify direct input from the peripheral auditory system and enhance sound localization in these small vertebrates.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Inferior colliculus of the house mouse. I. A quantitative study of tonotopic organization, frequency representation, and tone-threshold distribution.

Electrophysiological mapping was used to study frequency representation in the inferior colliculus (IC) of the mouse. In the lateral nucleus (LN) only part of the frequency range of hearing was represented and tonotopicity was separate from that in the rest of the IC. Highest frequencies occupied the medial part (M) of the central nucleus (CN). A single complete representation of the hearing range was present only if representations in the dorsal cortex (plus dorsomedial nucleus) and CN (including M) were combined. Continuous isofrequency planes making up these nuclei (without the lateral part of the CN) were reconstructed. They tilted from medial to lateral and from caudal to rostral. The steepness of the slopes increased from caudal to rostral and from dorsal to ventral (i.e., with increasing frequency). Isofrequency planes had similar angles of deviation from the horizontal plane as described for dendritic laminae in the CN. Differences of mapping in the lateral part of the CN from that in the rest of the CN could be explained by the different organization of laminae in this part. The relative amounts of IC depth and volume occupied by parts of the mouse audible frequency range were quantified. Frequency representation along IC depth was not proportional to that along cochlear length. Compared with the relative density of afferent nerve fiber supply within given frequency ranges represented along the basilar membrane, there is a relative under-representation in the IC up to 15-20 kHz and an over-representation of higher frequencies. Highest absolute tone sensitivity (lowest threshold) was found in neurons forming a column (running perpendicular to isofrequency planes) in the center of the IC. Results are discussed with regard to frequency representation, intrinsic neuronal organization, and functional segregation in the IC of mammals.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Auditory midbrain responses parallel spectral integration phenomena.

Resolving the frequency components of complex sound spectra including speech is an inherent, important accomplishment of the auditory nervous systems of vertebrates. The critical perceptual unit in the frequency domain, the critical bandwidth, has a simple functional equivalent within the principal midbrain auditory nucleus--the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed1985

Behavioural studies on auditory development in mammals in relation to higher nervous system functioning.

The development of hearing measured behaviourally is compared in a quantitative way with studies on the physiological development in the auditory pathway of cats, house mice and humans. The similarity of time constants and of the beginning and end of the developments suggests that behavioural threshold sensitivity measured by unconditioned and conditioned reflexes is determined at or below the midbrain level.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Development of sound production in normal, isolated, and deafened kittens during the first postnatal months.

The development of calls (quantified by a series of acoustic parameters) of (a) normal, (b) socially isolated, and (c) deafened kittens that were released in four different situations has been studied from birth to 170 days of age. All call parameters studied except noise components show developmental changes that can be related to the development of (a) the vocal tract (fundamental frequency, harmonic with maximum intensity, upper-frequency limit and frequency range, occurrence of frequency, and intensity modulations), (b) feedback control through the auditory system (sound-pressure level, harmonic with maximum intensity, call-variability), and (c) motivational valuation of the releasing situations (duration). Isolated and deafened kittens displayed quantitative differences in certain call parameters compared with normal animals. Calls of deafened animals are, on the average, louder, more tonal and uniform, and differentially pitched compared with those of normal, hearing animals.

Aging↗