The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN), part of the reticular activating system, modulates waking and paradoxical sleep. During waking and paradoxical sleep, EEG responses are characterized by low amplitude, high frequency oscillatory activity in the beta/gamma band range (~20–80 Hz). We reported that gamma band activity may be intrinsically generated by the membrane electroresponsiveness of PPN neurons, and that the neuronal ensemble generates different patterns of gamma activity in response to specific transmitters. This study attempted to identify the voltage-gated calcium and potassium channels involved in the rising and falling phases of gamma oscillations in PPN neurons. We found that all rat (8–14 day) PPN cell types showed gamma oscillations in the presence of TTX and synaptic blockers when membrane potential was depolarized using current ramps. PPN neurons showed gamma oscillations when voltage-clamped at holding potentials above −30 mV, indicating their origin, we speculate, is spatially located beyond voltage clamp control. The average frequency for all PPN cell types was 23 +/− 1 Hz, which increased under carbachol (47 +/− 2 Hz; ANOVA df= 64, t= 12.5, p<0.001). The N-type calcium channel blocker ω-conotoxin-GVIA partially reduced gamma oscillations, while the P/Q-type blocker ω-agatoxin-IVA abolished them. Both ω-CgTX and ω-Aga blocked voltage-dependent calcium currents by 56% and 52%, respectively. The delayed rectifier-like potassium channel blocker α-dendrotoxin also abolished gamma oscillations. In carbachol-induced PPN population responses, ω-agatoxin-IVA reduced higher, and ω-CgTx mostly lower, frequencies. These results suggest that voltage-dependent P/Q-, and to a lesser extent N-, type calcium channels mediate gamma oscillations in PPN.

The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) is involved in the activated states of waking and paradoxical sleep, forming part of the reticular activating system (RAS). The studies described tested the hypothesis that single unit and/or population responses of PPN neurons are capable of generating gamma band frequency activity. Whole cell patch clamp recordings (immersion chamber) and population responses (interface chamber) were conducted on 9- to 20-day-old rat brain stem slices. Regardless of cell type (I, II, or III) or type of response to the nonselective cholinergic receptor agonist carbachol (excitation, inhibition, biphasic), almost all PPN neurons fired at gamma band frequency, but no higher, when subjected to depolarizing steps (50 +/- 2 Hz, mean +/- SE). Nonaccommodating neurons fired at 18-100 Hz throughout depolarizing steps, while most accommodating neurons exhibited gamma band frequency of action potentials followed by gamma band membrane oscillations. These oscillations were blocked by the sodium channel blocker tetrodotoxin (TTX), suggesting that at least some are mediated by sodium currents. Population responses in the PPN showed that carbachol induced peaks of activation in the theta and gamma range, while glutamatergic receptor agonists induced overall increases in activity at theta and gamma frequencies, although in differing patterns. Gamma band activity appears to be a part of the intrinsic membrane properties of PPN neurons, and the population as a whole generates different patterns of gamma band activity under the influence of specific transmitters. Given sufficient excitation, the PPN may impart gamma band activation on its targets.

SUMMARY This review considers recent evidence showing that cells in the reticular activating system (RAS) exhibit 1) electrical coupling mainly in GABAergic cells, and 2) gamma band activity in virtually all of the cells. Specifically, cells in the mesopontine pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN), intralaminar parafascicular nucleus (Pf), and pontine dorsal subcoeruleus nucleus dorsalis (SubCD) 1) show electrical coupling, and 2) all fire in the beta/gamma band range when maximally activated, but no higher. The mechanism behind electrical coupling is important because the stimulant modafinil was shown to increase electrical coupling. We also provide recent findings demonstrating that all cells in the PPN and Pf have high threshold, voltage-dependent P/Q-type calcium channels that are essential to gamma band activity. On the other hand, all SubCD, and some PPN, cells manifested sodium-dependent subthreshold oscillations. A novel mechanism for sleep-wake control based on transmitter interactions, electrical coupling, and gamma band activity is described. We speculate that continuous sensory input will modulate coupling and induce gamma band activity in the RAS that could participate in the processes of preconscious awareness, and provide the essential stream of information for the formulation of many of our actions.

The parafascicular nucleus (Pf) receives cholinergic input from the pedunculopontine nucleus, part of the reticular activating system involved in waking and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and sends projections to the cortex. We tested the hypothesis that Pf neurons fire maximally at gamma band frequency (30-90 Hz), that this mechanism involves high-threshold voltage-dependent P/Q- and N-type calcium channels, and that this activity is enhanced by the cholinergic agonist carbachol (CAR). Patch-clamped 9- to 25-day-old rat Pf neurons (n = 299) manifested a firing frequency plateau at gamma band when maximally activated (31.5 ± 1.5 Hz) and showed gamma oscillations when voltage-clamped at holding potentials above -20 mV, and the frequency of the oscillations increased significantly with age (24.6 ± 3.8 vs. 51.6 ± 4.4 Hz, P < 0.001) but plateaued at gamma frequencies. Cells exposed to CAR showed significantly higher frequencies early in development compared with those without CAR (24.6 ± 3.8 vs. 41.7 ± 4.3 Hz, P < 0.001) but plateaued with age. The P/Q-type calcium channel blocker ω-agatoxin-IVA (ω-Aga) blocked gamma oscillations, whereas the N-type blocker ω-conotoxin-GVIA (ω-CgTx) only partially decreased the power spectrum amplitude of gamma oscillations. The blocking effect of ω-Aga on P/Q-type currents and ω-CgTx on N-type currents was consistent over age. We conclude that P/Q- and N-type calcium channels appear to mediate Pf gamma oscillations during development. We hypothesize that the cholinergic input to the Pf could activate these cells to oscillate at gamma frequency, and perhaps relay these rhythms to cortical areas, thus providing a stable high-frequency state for "nonspecific" thalamocortical processing.