Search results for "Neurochemical"

Effect Of Inflammatory Pain On Alcohol-Induced Dopamine Release In The Nucleus Accumbens: Behavioural Implications In Rat Models

2019

AbstractRecent studies have drawn the attention to the link between Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and the presence of pain. Indeed, the correct management of pain in patients with a previous history of AUD has been reported to decrease the risk of relapse in alcohol drinking, suggesting that in this prone population, pain may increase the vulnerability to relapse. Previous data in male rats revealed that inflammatory pain desensitizes mu opioid receptors (MORs) in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and increases intake of high doses of heroine. Due to the relevant role of MORs in alcohol effects, we hypothesize that pain may also alter alcohol reinforcing properties and therefore affect alcohol …

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) in Psychiatry

2001

In recent years, structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging has opened up new avenues to the study of psychiatric disorders. A number of structural changes characteristic for different psychiatric diseases could be delineated by the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) enables the in vivo investigation of cerebral neuronal activation under cognitive or behavioral activation paradigms. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) allows for the study of defined neurochemical substances or pharmacological agents in the human brain. This article presents an overview of the basic principles of the different MRI techniques and representative re…

Melanocortins: regulators of behavioural and neurochemical processes

2004

Individual Differences in Novelty-Seeking and Behavioral Responses to Nicotine: A Review of Animal Studies

2010

Individual differences in the behavioral responses to a novel environment have been proposed as a research tool to predict responsiveness to other behavioral tasks, response to certain events and individual vulnerability to nicotine addiction. In rats and mice, novelty seeking (defined as enhanced specific exploration of novel situations) is a complex behavior confirmed by a large body of neurochemical, endocrinological and behavioral data. We review the main standardized procedures employed to measure the novelty seeking trait in rodents and the ontogeny of this behavior throughout the life-span taking into account that novelty seeking can be permanently modified as a consequence of partic…

Targeting the Stress System During Gestation: Is Early Handling a Protective Strategy for the Offspring?

2020

The perinatal window is a critical developmental time when abnormal gestational stimuli may alter the development of the stress system that, in turn, influences behavioral and physiological responses in the newborns. Individual differences in stress reactivity are also determined by variations in maternal care, resulting from environmental manipulations. Despite glucocorticoids are the primary programming factor for the offspring's stress response, therapeutic corticosteroids are commonly used during late gestation to prevent preterm negative outcomes, exposing the offspring to potentially aberrant stress reactivity later in life. Thus, in this study, we investigated the consequences of one…

Types of cholecystokinin-containing periglomerular cells in the mouse olfactory bulb

2010

The periglomerular cells (PG) of the olfactory bulb (OB) are involved in the primary processing and the refinement of sensory information from the olfactory epithelium. The neurochemical composition of these neurons has been studied in depth in many species, and over the last decades such studies have focused mainly on the rat. The increasing use of genetic models for research into olfactory function demands a profound characterization of the mouse olfactory bulb, including the chemical composition of bulbar interneurons. Regarding both their connectivity with the olfactory nerve and their neurochemical fate, recently, two different types of PG have been identfied in the mouse. In the prese…

The neurochemistry of autism

2020

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to complex neurobehavioral and neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior or interests, and altered sensory processing. Environmental, immunological, genetic, and epigenetic factors are implicated in the pathophysiology of autism and provoke the occurrence of neuroanatomical and neurochemical events relatively early in the development of the central nervous system. Many neurochemical pathways are involved in determining ASD; however, how these complex networks interact and cause the onset of the core symptoms of autism remains unclear. Further studies on ne…

Neurochemical and morphological studies on demyelination in multiple sclerosis with special reference to etiological aspects.

1972

Light microscopic studies were used as control for neurochemical studies and these showed that some micro plaques could be found also in areas which were normal on visual inspection. Also foreign cell infiltrates were found outside any clear plaque material. The number of these cells did not correlate with other findings like lipid or enzyme chemistry. In electronmicroscopic studies astrocytes demonstrated most lysosomes and phagocytosis of myelin. This increased lysosomal reaction was demonstrated also in biochemical analyses performed on MS biopsy specimens. Occasional nuclear changes like inclusion bodies and protrusion of inner nuclear membrane were observed suggesting some exogenous, p…

Critical role of Nitric Oxide on Nicotine-Induced Hyperactivation of Dopaminergic Nigrostriatal System: Electrophysiological and Neurochemical eviden…

2010

Nicotine, the main psychoactive ingredient in tobacco, stimulates dopamine (DA) function, increasing DA neuronal activity and DA release. DA is involved in both motor control and in the rewarding and reinforcing effects of nicotine; however, the complete understanding of its molecular mechanisms is yet to be attained. Substantial evidence indicates that the reinforcing properties of drugs of abuse, including nicotine, can be affected by the nitric oxide (NO) system, which may act by modulating central dopaminergic function. In this study, using single cell recordings in vivo coupled with microiontophoresis and microdialysis in freely moving animals, the role of NO signaling on the hyperacti…

Membrane breakdown in acute and chronic neurodegeneration: focus on choline-containing phospholipids.

2000

Breakdown of cellular membranes is a characteristic feature of neuronal degeneration in acute (stroke) and chronic (senile dementia) neurological disorders. The present review summarizes recent experimental and clinical work which concentrated on changes of choline-containing phospholipids as indicators of neuronal membrane breakdown. Experimental studies identified glutamate release, calcium influx, and activation of cellular phospholipase A2 (PLA2) as important steps initiating membrane breakdown in cultured neurons or brain slices under hypoxic or ischemic conditions. Proton NMR studies have shown an elevation of choline-containing compounds in the brain of Alzheimer patients while neuro…