6533b7ddfe1ef96bd1273f4b

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Nitric oxide- and cGMP-active compounds affect the discharge of substantia nigra pars reticulata neurons: in vivo evidences in the rat

Pierangelo SardoFabio CarlettiValerio RizzoGiuseppe FerraroLonobile GStefania D'agostino

subject

MaleSubstantia nigra pars reticulataAction PotentialsDown-RegulationSubstantia nigraNitric Oxide Synthase Type INeurotransmissionPharmacologyBiologySettore BIO/09 - FisiologiaNitric oxidechemistry.chemical_compoundIn vivoAnimalsSingle unit electrophysiologyNitric Oxide DonorsEnzyme InhibitorsRats WistarCyclic GMPBiological PsychiatrySubstantia nigra pars reticulataNeuronsMicroiontophoresisNeural InhibitionNitric oxideIontophoresisRatsUp-RegulationSubstantia NigraPsychiatry and Mental healthElectrophysiologyNG-Nitroarginine Methyl EsterNeurologychemistryMolsidomineExcitatory postsynaptic potentialNeurology (clinical)Pars reticulataNeuroscienceSignal Transduction

description

The nitric oxide (NO)-active drugs influence on the bioelectric activity of neurons of the pars reticulata of the substantia nigra was studied in urethane-anesthetized rats. A first group of animals was treated with 7-nitro-indazole (7-NI), a preferential inhibitor of neuronal NO synthase. In a second group of rats, electrophysiological recordings were coupled with microiontophoretic administration of Nomega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, a NO synthase inhibitor), 3-morpholino-sydnonimin-hydrocloride (SIN-1, a NO donor) and 8-Br-cGMP (a cell-permeable analogue of cGMP, the main second-messenger of NO neurotransmission). 7-NI and L-NAME caused a statistically significant decrease in the firing rate of most of the responsive cells, while application of SIN-1 and 8-Br-CGMP induced statistically significant excitatory effects. The results suggest a NO mediated excitatory modulation of the SNr neurons activity with a possible involvement of the cGMP pathway.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2009-04-07Journal of Neural Transmission
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-009-0216-y