TY - JOUR T1 - Neurotensin-Induced Bursting of Cholinergic Basal Forebrain Neurons Promotes γ and θ Cortical Activity Together with Waking and Paradoxical Sleep JF - The Journal of Neuroscience JO - J. Neurosci. SP - 8452 LP - 8461 DO - 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.20-22-08452.2000 VL - 20 IS - 22 AU - Edmund G. Cape AU - Ian D. Manns AU - Angel Alonso AU - Alain Beaudet AU - Barbara E. Jones Y1 - 2000/11/15 UR - http://www.jneurosci.org/content/20/22/8452.abstract N2 - Cholinergic basal forebrain neurons have long been thought to play an important role in cortical activation and behavioral state, yet the precise way in which they influence these processes has yet to be fully understood. Here, we have examined the effects on the electroencephalogram (EEG) and sleep–wake state of basal forebrain administration of neurotensin (NT), a neuropeptide that has been shownin vitro to potently and selectively modulate the cholinergic cells. Microinjection of (0.1–3.0 mm) NT into the basal forebrain of freely moving, naturally waking-sleeping rats produced a dose-dependent decrease in δ (∼1–4 Hz) and increase in both θ (∼4–9 Hz) and high-frequency γ activity (30–60 Hz) across cortical, areas with no increase in the electromyogram. These EEG changes were accompanied by concomitant decreases in slow wave sleep (SWS) and transitional SWS (tSWS), increases in wake, and most remarkably, increases in paradoxical sleep (PS) and transitional PS (tPS), despite the virtual absence of SWS. The effects were attributed to direct action on cholinergic neurons as evidenced by selective internalization of a fluorescent ligand, Fluo-NT, in choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-immunoreactive cells and stimulation by NT of bursting discharge in juxtacellularly recorded, Neurobiotin-labeled, ChAT-immunoreactive neurons. We conclude that NT-induced rhythmic bursting of cholinergic basal forebrain neurons stimulates rhythmic θ oscillations and γ across the cerebral cortex. With the selective action of NT on the cholinergic cells, their bursting discharge promotes θ and γ independent of motor activity and thereby also stimulates and enhances PS. ER -