Behavioral Correlates of Activity in Identified Hypocretin/Orexin Neurons

Micropipette recording with juxtacellular Neurobiotin ejection, linked micropipette-microwire recording, and antidromic and orthodromic activation from the ven- tral tegmental area and locus coeruleus were used to identify hypocretin (Hcrt) cells in anesthetized rats and develop criteria for identification of these cells in unanesthetized, unrestrained animals. We found that Hcrt cells have broad action potentials with elongated later positive deflections that distinguish them from adjacent antidromically identified cells. They are rela- tively inactive in quiet waking but are transiently acti- vated during sensory stimulation. Hcrt cells are silent in slow wave sleep and tonic periods of REM sleep, with occasional burst discharge in phasic REM. Hcrt cells discharge in active waking and have moderate and approximately equal levels of activity during grooming and eating and maximal activity during ex- ploratory behavior. Our findings suggest that these cells are activated during emotional and sensorimo- tor conditions similar to those that trigger cataplexy in narcoleptic animals.