Vestibular neurons with direct projections to the solitary nucleus in the rat

Anterograde and retrograde tract tracing were combined with neurotransmitter and modulator immunolabeling to identify the chemical anatomy of vestibular nuclear neurons with direct projections to the solitary nucleus in rats. Direct, sparsely branched but highly varicose axonal projections from neurons in the caudal vestibular nuclei to the solitary nucleus were observed. The vestibular neurons giving rise to these projections were predominantly located in ipsilateral medial vestibular nucleus. The cell bodies were intensely glutamate immunofluorescent, and their axonal processes contained vesicular glutamate transporter 2, supporting the interpretation that the cells utilize glutamate for neurotransmission. The glutamate-immunofluorescent, retrogradely filled vestibular cells also contained the neuromodulator imidazoleacetic acid ribotide, which is an endogenous CNS ligand that participates in blood pressure regulation. The vestibulo-solitary neurons were encapsulated by axo-somatic GABAergic terminals, suggesting that they are under tight inhibitory control. The results establish a chemoanatomical basis for transient vestibular activation of the output pathways from the caudal and intermediate regions of the solitary nucleus. In this way, changes in static head position and movement of the head in space may directly influence heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, as well as gastrointestinal motility. This would provide one anatomical explanation for the synchronous heart rate and blood pressure responses observed after peripheral vestibular activation, as well as disorders ranging from neurogenic orthostatic hypotension, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, and vasovagal syncope to the nausea and vomiting associated with motion sickness. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Vestibular neurons with direct projections to the solitary nucleus utilize glutamate for neurotransmission, modulated by imidazoleacetic acid ribotide. This is the first direct demonstration of the chemical neuroanatomy of the vestibulo-solitary pathway.