Search results for "Neurotransmitter"
showing 10 items of 275 documents
The unilateral nigral lesion induces dramatic bilateral modification on rat brain monoamine neurochemistry
2009
6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) is a neurotoxic compound commonly used to induce dopamine (DA) depletion in the nigrostriatal system, mimicking Parkinson's disease (PD) in animals. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the 7-day effect of unilateral nigral lesion on rat brain monoamine neurochemistry. Five brain regions were examined: the brain stem, cerebellum, hippocampus, striatum, and cortex. 6-OHDA-unilateral lesion dramatically modified DA, serotonin (5-HT) and their metabolites contents in both sides of the different brain nuclei. Furthermore, unilateral 6-OHDA lesion reduced DA and 5-HT contents and produced a robust inversion of their turnover in the nonlesioned side compared to …
Day-night rhythm of acetylcholine in the rat pineal gland
1997
Abstract Using high-performance-liquid-chromatography (HPLC) measurement of acetylcholine, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) enzyme assay and anti-ChAT immunohistochemistry, we have investigated the expression of the cholinergic system in pineal glands of male rats. Glands procured during the day period (1200 h) contained significant amounts of acetylcholine (0.5 pmol/gland). A similar content was found in pineal glands after a 48 h culture period, i.e. when the intrapineal nerve fibres have degenerated. This strongly indicates that the pinealocytes are the cells which contain acetylcholine. To confirm this conclusion we demonstrate substantial ChAT-like immunoreactivity in pinealocytes. ChA…
Effects of oxotremorine and physostigmine on the inhibitory avoidance impairment produced by amitriptyline in male and female mice.
2009
We have previously observed that amitriptyline and other antidepressants produce impairing effects on inhibitory avoidance (also called passive avoidance) in mice of both sexes. In the present study we investigated the involvement of the cholinergic system in the inhibitory avoidance impairment produced by acute amitriptyline in male and female CD1 mice. For this purpose, the effects on said task of acute i.p. administration of several doses of amitriptyline, either alone or in combination with the cholinergic agonists oxotremorine and physostigmine, were evaluated. Pre-training administration of 5, 7.5, 10 or 15 mg/kg of amitriptyline produced a significant impairment of inhibitory avoidan…
The role of choline in the release of acetylcholine in isolated hearts.
1978
1. The concentrations of acetylcholine, choline and noradrenaline were estimated in the perfusate (overflow) of isolated hearts of chickens, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs. Neurotransmitter release was evoked by stimulation of both vagus nerves and by direct stimulation of the heart (field stimulation). 2. In the absence of exogenous choline and physostigmine, field stimulation at 20 Hz for 20 min caused an overflow of acetylcholine from the hearts of the 4 species investigated. During vagal stimulation, however, acetylcholine was detected only in the perfusate of the chicken heart. 3. Field stimulation for 2 min caused an overflow of 193 pmol g−1 min−1 acetylcholine and of 666 pmol g−1 min−…
Effects of co-administration of amitriptyline and fluoxetine on inhibitory avoidance in mice
2010
We have previously observed that, while the impairing effects of amitriptyline on inhibitory avoidance in mice are consistently observed, those of acute fluoxetine are negligible. Two experiments were designed to investigate whether a regular dose of fluoxetine potentiates the effect of a low dose of amitriptyline that is ineffective when administered alone. Male and female CD1 mice were administered i.p. 30 min before training, as follows. In the first experiment, they were injected with saline, one of three doses of amitriptyline (2.5, 5, 10 mg/kg), one dose of fluoxetine (15 mg/kg), or a combination of amitriptyline (2.5 mg/kg) and fluoxetine (15 mg/kg). In the second experiment, the mic…
Astroglial plasticity in the hippocampus is affected by chronic psychosocial stress and concomitant fluoxetine treatment.
2006
Analysis of post-mortem tissue from patients with affective disorders has revealed a decreased number of glial cells in several brain areas. Here, we examined whether long-term psychosocial stress influences the number and morphology of hippocampal astrocytes in an animal model with high validity for research on the pathophysiology of major depression. Adult male tree shrews were submitted to 5 weeks of psychosocial stress, after which immunocytochemical and quantitative stereological techniques were used to estimate the total number and somal volume of glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive astrocytes in the hippocampal formation. Stress significantly decreased both the number (-25%) and…
Characterization of the muscarine receptors involved in the modulation of serotonin release from the vascularly perfused small intestine of guinea pi…
1989
Isolated small intestinal segments of the guinea pig were arterially perfused and the release of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and its metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) into the portal venous effluent measured by HPLC with electrochemical detection. Test substances were applied via the arterial perfusion medium. McN-A-343, pilocarpine and oxotremorine inhibited concentration-dependently the outflow of 5-HT and 5-HIAA. Pirenzepine (0.03-0.1 mumol/l) which can discriminate between M1 and M2-receptor subtypes antagonized completely this inhibitory effect. In the presence of 1 mumol/l tetrodotoxin (TTx), all three muscarine receptor agonists increased the outflow of 5-HT and 5-HIAA. O…
Impact of ''off-label'' use of ivabradine on exercise capacity, gas exchange, functional class, quality of life, and neurohormonal modulation in pati…
2010
Background: Epidemiologic studies indicate that elevated heart rate (HR) is an independent risk factor for mortality and morbidity in patients (pts) with chronic heart failure (CHF). Clinical trials with b-blockers suggest that HR reduction is an important mechanism of their benefit in pts with stable CHF. Pharmacologic inhibition of the If current now provides the opportunity of pure HR reduction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of ‘‘Off-Label’’ use of ivabradine on exercise capacity, gas exchange, functional class, quality of life, and neurohormonal modulation in pts with ischemic CHF. Methods: Between January 2008 and June 2008, a graded maximal exercise test with re…
[3H]-DA release evoked by low pH medium and internal H+ accumulation in rat hypothalamic synaptosomes: involvement of calcium ions
2003
The pH fluctuations have been often interpreted as an insufficient regulation or as a consequence of the onset of pathological events, such as ischemia, in which a significant decrease in pH levels occurs. Neurotransmitter release appears to be affected by pH drop significantly. In this study, we investigated the effect of an extracellular and an intracellular acidification on tritiated dopamine release ([3H]-DA release), from superfused rat hypothalamic synaptosomes. When compared to basal release, extracellular acidification, due to a reduction in the external pH of the nominally carbonic-free superfusion media, provoked a significant increase in [3H]-DA release that showed a sensitivenes…
Evidence for noradrenaline and adrenaline as sympathetic transmitters in the chicken.
1975
1 The concentrations of noradrenaline and adrenaline in various organs, arterial plasma and venous outflow from isolated hearts of adult chickens have been determined. 2 The relative adrenaline concentrations (percentage of the sum of noradrenaline and adrenaline) in the heart (33%), spleen (16%) and brain (26%) were higher than those found in mammalian organs. Chemical sympathectomy by pretreatment with 6-hydroxydopamine caused a decrease of the noradrenaline and adrenaline concentrations in the heart to 20 and 23% and in the spleen to 16 and 29%, respectively. 3 Stimulation of the right sympathetic nerves, infusion of tyramine or infusion of a modified Tyrode solution containing 108mM K+ …