Short-term sustained hypoxia (SH) increases evoked AMPA and NMDA currents but not action potential frequency discharge of Nucleus Tractus Solitarius (NTS) neurons of mice.

Hypoxia activates peripheral chemoreflex, in which afferent fibers release glutamate onto 2nd-order NTS neurons to produce cardiovascular and respiratory adjustments to normalize the oxygen level in arterial blood. The short-term sustained hypoxia (SH) increases glutamatergic transmission and neuronal excitability in the NTS of rats.