Non-NMDA and NMDA receptor agonists induced excitation and their differential effect in activation of superior salivatory nucleus neurons in anaesthetized rats

We investigated the effects of the ionophoretic application of ionotropic non-NMDA receptor agonist (AMPA) and NMDA receptor agonist (NMDA) on extracellularly recorded and antidromically identified superior salivatory nucleus (SSN) neurons. A great majority (93%) of SSN neurons was induced to fire by ionophoretic application of AMPA, and they were classified into high firing rate (more than 6 spikes/s), and low firing rate (less than 3 spikes/s) neurons. No clear differences were found between high firing rate and low firing rate neurons according their fibre type and histological locations. Of the SSN neurons that excited by AMPA, 22% (4/18) and 50% (5/9) of the neurons also were induced to fire following ionophoretic application of the NMDA receptor agonist NMDA in different concentrations, 20 mM and 100 mM, respectively. In neurons that induced firing by AMPA and by NMDA, AMPA-evoked firings were induced by the lower intensities of applied current and had higher mean firing rates than NMDA-evoked firing. Neurons that were induced firing by AMPA and by NMDA had B fibre and C fibre axons as well as those that induced firing only by AMPA. Neurons that were fired only by AMPA were found in whole SSN area, whereas neurons that were induced firing by AMPA and by NMDA were mainly found in intermediate SSN area. In conclusion, activation of ionotoropic non-NMDA receptor has a greater excitatory effect on the SSN neurons than that of ionotropic of NMDA receptor. Our data support the view that non-NMDA receptor plays a major role, whereas NMDA receptor plays a minor role, in the activation of SSN neurons.