以往的研究表明，电刺激或损毁杏仁中央核明显改变臂旁核味觉神经元的活动。为了研究杏仁中央核内的兴奋性受体是否参与此调节，本实验应用细胞外记录方法，在乌拉坦麻醉的大鼠观察了杏仁中央核内微量注射6- 氰基-7- 硝基喹喔啉-2,3-二酮（CNQX）前后臂旁核味觉神经元对四种基本味觉刺激反应的变化。结果表明，杏仁中央核内注射CNQX 对30% 的臂旁核神经元产生时间依赖性的抑制作用，此抑制作用以对盐酸和盐酸奎宁刺激引起的反应尤为明显（P<0.05）。根据对味觉刺激的优势反应，40%的NaCl优势、30%的HCl优势和20%的奎宁优势反应神经元在注射CNQX后对至少一种味觉刺激的反应降低；盐酸优势和奎宁优势反应神经元对各自的优势反应在杏仁中央核内注药后均明显降低（P<0.01）。相关性分析表明，在注射CNQX后，臂旁核味觉神经元对NaCl和其它三种味觉刺激物之间的分辨能力降低。以上结果表明，杏仁中央核内的AMPA受体可能参与杏仁核对臂旁核味觉神经元的下行调控。

目的：确定脑室注射Urocortin Ⅲ后被激活细胞群的分布，并判断这些细胞群的分布与其受体（促肾上腺皮质激素释放因子- 型受体，CRF-R） 的分布吻合程度. 方法：应用免疫组织化学方法观察侧脑室注射Urocortin Ⅲ对大鼠不同脑区Fos表达的影响. 结果：脑室给予Urocortin Ⅲ引起许多脑区Fos 表达明显增多，包括隔外侧核、终纹床核、下丘脑室旁核、弓状核、杏仁中央核、臂旁核、孤束核和最后区. 结论：侧脑室给予Urocortin Ⅲ激活了与味觉和摄食调控相关的细胞群以及与应激相关的细胞群，其分布与CRF-R 的分布大部分重叠.

目的：研究大鼠杏仁中央核在味觉欣快感受中的作用，以探讨其在味觉指导下进行摄食行为调节的可能机制。方法：采用双瓶选择实验（味觉溶液vs 水），观察电解损毁大鼠双侧CeA 后对四种基本味觉溶液摄入的影响。结果：与对照组相比，CeA 损毁明显降低了大鼠对0.03 、0.1 和0.3mol/L 氯化钠溶液，0.01、0.1 和1.0mmol/L 柠檬酸溶液及10、20 和50μmol/L 盐酸奎宁溶液的摄入，且其对相邻浓度的氯化钠、柠檬酸和盐酸奎宁的分辨能力也明显降低。但两组动物总的摄入量（味觉溶液和水）在各组实验中均无显著性差异。结论：CeA损毁可降低大鼠对味觉溶液的摄入，但对不同浓度溶液的影响不同。结果提示CeA 可能通过影响中枢味觉评估机制，改变大鼠对不同味觉刺激的欣快阈值，从而参与摄食行为的调控。

The central amygdaloid nucleus (CeA) receives projection from the parabrachial nucleus (PBN) gustatory neurons and descendingly: projects to the PBN, and taste responses in the PBN are significantly affected by stimulation or lesion of the CeA. To examine whether the: GABA receptors within the CeA are involved in this modulation, the effects of microinjection of bicuculline, a GABAA-selective antagonist,: into the CeA on the activities of PBN taste neurons were observed by using extracellular recording technique. In general, after bicuculline: was administered to ipsilateral CeA, the responses of PBN neurons to four tastants all inceased, with the magnitudes significantly higher: than those obtained before drug administration ( Pb0.01), respectively. However, after bicuculline was delivered into the contralateral CeA,: only the responses to NaCl, HCl and QHCl increased. According to the best-stimulus category, 47% NaCl-best (8/17), 64% HCl-best (7/11),: 80% QHCl-best (4/5), and 33% sucrose-best (1/3) increased their responses to at least one basic taste stimulus after GABAA receptors within: the ipsilateral CeA were blocked. After contralteral CeA injection, more NaCl-best neurons (6/8) increased responses than that after ipsilateral: CeA injection, but other best-stimulus units showed no differences before and after drug injection into the contralateral CeA. Analyses of: across-unit patterns indicated that the correlation coefficient of responses between NaCl and sucrose was apparently higher after drug: administration to the CeA. However, after drug injection into the contralateral CeA, the correlations between NaCl and the other three tastants: were higher than those before. These results indicate that the GABAA receptors within the CeA play an important role in modulating the: gustatory activities of PBN neurons.

AIM: To determine whether serum leptin level and the leptinreceptor (OB-R) expression in the basolateral amygdala (BLA)change following conditioned taste aversion (CTA) formation.METHODS: The serum leptin concentration was measuredby rat leptin RIA kit, long and short forms of leptin receptor(OB-Rb and OB-Ra) mRNA in the brain sections wereexamined by in situ hybridization (ISH) and the expressionof OB-R was assessed by immunohistochemistry ABC methodwith a highly specific goat anti-OB-R antibody.RESULTS: The level of serum leptin didn't show significantdifference between CTA and control group. Comparing withthe control group, the CTA group had an increase on countof OB-R immunohistochemistry positive-stained cells in theBLA (127