c-Fos induction in visceral and vestibular nuclei of the rat brain stem by a 9.4 T magnetic field

Recently, it has been shown that rats placed in a 9.4 T static magnetic field for 30 min after drinking a glucose-saccharin solution develop a conditioned taste aversion (CTA) to glucose-saccharin. We sought to identify brain stem regions that are activated by the 9.4 T magnetic field exposure using c-Fos immunohistochemistry. Rats were restrained in a 9.4 T magnet for 30 min; sham-exposed rats were restrained but not exposed to the magnetic field. The magnetic field induced significantly more c-Fos-positive cells than sham treatment in the solitary tract, parabrachial, medial vestibular, prepositus, and supragenualis nuclei. These results suggest that magnetic field exposure causes neural activation in visceral and vestibular nuclei that may promote CTA learning.