First published online May 18, 2006
Journal of Experimental Biology 209, 2015-2024 (2006)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2006
doi: 10.1242/jeb.02240
Activation of a sensorimotor pathway in response to a water temperature drop in a teleost fish
E. H. van den Burg1,*,
M. Verhoye2,
R. R. Peeters2,
J. Meek1,
G. Flik1 and
A. Van der Linden2
1 Department of Organismal Animal Physiology, Faculty of Science, Radboud
University Nijmegen, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED, Nijmegen, The
Netherlands
2 Bio-Imaging Lab, Campus Groenenborger, University of Antwerp, Antwerp,
Belgium

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Fig. 1. Partial brain atlas of common carp. Horizontal sections of 10 µm were
stained according to Kluver-Barrera. Horizontal distance between consecutive
sections is 1 mm. Section A is the most ventral, and the bar on the left of
the sections indicates corresponding sectioning of the magnetic resonance
images shown in Fig. 2. The
scale bar is 2 mm. See List for abbreviations.
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Fig. 2. Identification of brain structures in magnetic resonance images (MRI). (A)
Lateral reconstruction of a carp brain, on the basis of transversal sections.
(B) Lateral reconstruction with lines that indicate the middle of the acquired
adjacent 1 mm fMRI slices through the carp brain. The number of each line
corresponds to the image number C. (C) T2-weighted high resolution
spin echo images of horizontal 1 mm slices through the carp brain. Scale bar,
5 mm. See List for abbreviations.
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Fig. 3. Activation at the nerve entrance (N) following a 10°C temperature drop,
as determined by blood oxygenation level-dependent-weighted (BOLD) functional
magnetic resonance images (fMRI). (A) T2-weighted high-resolution
spin echo image showing the complex (N) of trigeminal, facial, acoustic and
anterior lateral line nerve extending from the brain. The image resolution
does not allow for separate identification of the cranial nerves. tel,
telencephalon. (B) Average of the color-coded percentual BOLD difference maps
within the first 5 min after the onset of the temperature drop overlaid on the
high-resolution image. The brain region surrounding the entrance of the
cranial nerves is transiently activated (blue, reduced BOLD signal
intensities). Some increase in BOLD signal intensities (red) can sometimes be
observed in other brain regions. Scale bar, 2.5 mm. (C) The transient decrease
of BOLD signal intensity measured in the region surrounding the entrance of
the cranial nerves is not accompanied by any substantial change in cerebral
blood volume (CBV; D) from which it is concluded that the decreased BOLD
signal is a result of increased cellular activity. (D) CBV signal intensity
changes in the region surrounding the entrance of the cranial nerves. Values
are means ± s.d. (N=3).
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Fig. 4. Anatomy of the region where the cranial nerves extend from the brain. (A)
Horizontal section, stained according to Kluver-Barrera. The orange line
surrounds the region of activation. (B) Drawing of the section shown in A
delineating the sensory root of the trigeminal nerve (Vs) and other areas and
nerves. The V is located rostrally to the facial nerve (VIIs) and the anterior
lateral line nerve (alln). It projects to the trigeminal motor nucleus (NVmd)
that innervates the muscles of the jaws. (C) Transverse section in the region
of the sensory and motor nuclei associated with the trigeminal nerve. (D)
Drawing of the section shown in C, delineating the location of the primary
sensory trigeminal nucleus (NVs) dorsally to the trigeminal motor nuclei (NVmd
and NVmv), and ventrally to the commissure of the secondary gustatory nuclei
(cgus). The NVs receives input from the trigeminal nerve and projects to the
valvula cerebelli. For other abbreviations, see List of abbreviations. Scale
bar, 0.3 mm (A,B) and 0.2 mm (C,D).
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Fig. 5. Activation of the valvula cerebelli following a 10°C temperature drop
as determined by blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD)-weighted and
cerebral blood volume (CBV)-weighted functional magnetic resonance images
(fMRI). (A) T2-weighted high-resolution spin echo image showing the
location of the corpus cerebelli (cc), the valvula cerebelli (vc), and the
tectum opticum (to). (B) Average of the color-coded percentual BOLD difference
maps within the first 5 min after the onset of the temperature drop overlaid
on the high-resolution image. The valvula cerebelli, but not the tectum
opticum shows a reduced BOLD signal intensity (blue). This fish (but not the
other two examined) also demonstrated pronounced early BOLD signal increase
(red) in the corpus cerebellum. (C) Biphasic change of BOLD signal intensity
measured in the valvula cerebelli indicates activation followed by
inactivation of this brain region following the temperature drop. (D)
Transient decrease of CBV signal reveals increased blood supply to the valvula
cerebelli, demonstrating that the decrease of the BOLD signal is caused by
increased cellular activity. Scale bar, 2.5 mm (A,B). Values are means
± s.d. (N=3).
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Fig. 6. Schematic representation of the adaptive and sensorimotor pathway as
derived from our fMRI studies (this study)
(Van den Burg et al., 2005 ),
and from several neuroanatomical studies. The acclimation pathway is probably
triggered by a reduction of the temperature of the cerebral blood, and starts
with thermodetection in the preoptic area (poa), where also a subsequent
stress response is initiated. This leads to activation of the pituitary pars
distalis (pd; to stimulate the release of ACTH). The sensorimotor pathway is
probably triggered by trigeminal cold-receptors in the buccal cavity, and
involves sequential activation of the sensory root of the trigeminal nerve
(N), the associated sensory nucleus (NVs) and the valvula cerebelli (vc). The
vc probably stimulates one or more motor nuclei (the nucleus of the medial
longitudinal fascicle (nmlf), the nucleus ruber (nr) and the reticular
formation (srf and imrf) to initiate (broken lines) swimming behavior.
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© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2006