Skip to main content
Log in

Single unit responses from the solitary complex following oral stimulation in the chicken

  • Published:
Journal of comparative physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

By using 10 μm tip, stainless steel electrodes the extracellular responses of single neurones in the dorsal medulla of the chicken were recorded following mechanical, thermal and chemical stimulation of the oral cavity. A small area of the solitary complex was found to respond to oral stimulation. From the position of this area in the medulla it was considered to be in the nucleus ventrolateralis anterior solitarii. Units were found in this nucleus which responded to mechanical, thermal and chemical stimulation of the tongue, palate and pharynx. The results are discussed in relation to present knowledge of mammals and a possible input from the lingual and laryngolingual nerves.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson, B., Zotterman, Y.: The water taste in the frog. Acta Physiol. Scand.20, 95–100 (1950)

    Google Scholar 

  • Blomquist, A.J., Antem, A.: Localization of the terminals of the tongue afferents in the nucleus of the solitary tract. J. Comp. Neurol.124, 127–130 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  • Doetsch, G.S., Erickson, R.P.: Synaptic processing of taste quality information in the nucleus tractus solitarius of the rat. J. Neurophysiol.33, 490–507 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dubbeldam, J.L.: ‘Touch’ and ‘taste’ within the brainstem of the mallard,Anas platyrhynchos L. Abstr. 18th Dutch federative meeting, Leiden, 185 (1977)

  • Dubbeldam, J.L., Brus, E.R.: Central projections of the N. glossopharyngeus in the mallard,Anas platyrhynchos. Anat. Rec.181, 347 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dubbeldam, J.L., Karten, H.J., Menken, S.B.J.: Central projections of the chorda tympani nerve in the mallard,Anas platyrhynchos L. J. Comp. Neurol.170, 415–420 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dubbeldam, J.L., Brus, E.R., Menken, S.B.J., Zeilstra, S.: The central projections of the glossopharyngeal and vagal ganglia in the mallard,Anas platyrhynchos. J. Comp. Neurol.183, 149–168 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gentle, M.J.: Extra-lingual chemoreceptors in the chicken (Gallus domesticus). Chem. Senses Flavor3, 325–329 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Glenn, J.F., Erickson, R.P.: Gastric modulation of gustatory afferent activity. Physiol. Behav.16, 561–568 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregory, J.E.: An electrophysiological investigation of the receptor apparatus of the duck's bill. J. Physiol. (Lond.)229, 151–164 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Halpern, B.P.: Gustatory nerve responses in the chicken. Am. J. Physiol.203, 541–544 (1962)

    Google Scholar 

  • Halpern, B.P.: Chemotopic coding for sucrose and quinine hydrochloride in the nucleus of the fasciculus solitarius. In: Olfaction and taste 2. Hayashi, T. (ed.), pp. 549–562. London: Pergamon Press 1967

    Google Scholar 

  • Halpern, B.P., Nelson, L.M.: Bulbar gustatory responses to anterior and to posterior tongue stimulation in the rat. Am. J. Physiol.209, 105–110 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  • Holmes, O.W.: Silver staining of nerve axons in paraffin sections. Anat. Rec.86, 157 (1943)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kadono, H., Okada, T., Ohno, K.: Neurophysiological studies on the sense of taste in the chicken. Res. Bull. Fac. Agri. Gifu Univ.22, 149–159 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kappers, C.U.A., Huber, G.C., Crosby, E.C.: The comparative anatomy of the nervous system of vertebrates including man. New York: Hafner Publishing Company 1960

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitchell, R.L., Ström, L., Zotterman, Y.: Electrophysiological studies of thermal and taste reception in chickens and pigeons. Acta Physiol. Scand.46, 133–151 (1959)

    Google Scholar 

  • Landolt, J.P.: Neural properties of pigeon lingual chemoreceptors. Physiol. Behav.5, 1151–1160 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Markous, W., Nord, S., Oakley, B., Pfaffman, C.: The gustatory relay in the medulla. In: Olfaction and taste. Zotterman, Y. (ed.), pp. 381–393. Oxford: Pergamon Press 1963

    Google Scholar 

  • Necker, R.: Response of trigeminal ganglion neurons to thermal stimulation of the beak in pigeons. J. comp. Physiol.78, 307–314 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Necker, R.: Temperature sensitivity of thermoreceptors and mechanoreceptors on the beak of pigeons. J. comp. Physiol.87, 379–391 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Norgren, R., Leonard, C.M.: Taste pathways in rat brainstem. Science173, 1136–1139 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Norgren, R., Leonard, C.M.: Ascending central gustatory pathways. J. Comp. Neurol.150, 217–238 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Saito, I.: Comparative anatomical studies of the oral organs of the poultry. V. Structures and distribution of taste buds of the fowl. Bull. Fac. Agric. Univ. Miyazaki13, 95–102 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sessle, B.J.: Excitatory and inhibitory inputs to single neurones in the solitary tract nucleus and adjacent reticular formation. Brain Res.53, 319–331 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Silver, R., Witkovsky, P.: Functional characteristics of single units in the spinal trigeminal nucleus of the pigeon. Brain Behav. Evol.8, 287–303 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeigler, H.P., Witkovsky, P.: The main sensory trigeminal nucleus in the pigeon: a single-unit analysis. J. Comp. Neurol.134, 255–264 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeigler, H.P., Miller, M., Levine, R.R.: Trigeminal nerve and eating in the pigeon (Columba livia): neurosensory control of the consummatory responses. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol.89, 845–858 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zotterman, Y.: Species differences in water taste. Acta Physiol. Scand.37, 60–70 (1956)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gentle, M.J. Single unit responses from the solitary complex following oral stimulation in the chicken. J. Comp. Physiol. 130, 259–264 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00614612

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00614612

Keywords

Navigation