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Biomedical subjects

N Bonaventure

Publications and source records attributed to N Bonaventure.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

[Pharmacologic sensitivity of the photopic c wave in the electroretinogram of the chicken. II. Effects of sodium iodate and general anesthesia].

Iodate poisoning is known to induce both a retinal degeneration which is restricted in a first stage to the pigment epithelium and a selective suppression of the c-wave ([5] to [10]). In the chicken we did not obtain such electrophysiological or morphological effects. In both acute (i.v. or i.m. injections, up 50 mg/kg) and chronic experiments (4 X 45 mg/kg daily) the photopic c-wave of the chicken appeared to be fairly insensitive to sodium iodate, except at high concentrations (greater than 100 mg/kg in a single injection) which proved to be highly cardiotoxic. The ultrastructure of the retinal pigment epithelium and of the photoreceptors appeared quite normal in retinas treated with the highest concentration of the drug. Sodium pentobarbital (Nembutal), ketamine (Ketalar) and ethyl-carbamate (Urethane) were used as general anesthetics. The c-wave appeared to be differentially sensitive to these drugs. The suppressant effect was strongest with Nembutal and lowest with Urethane. The selective sensitivity of the c-wave to general anesthetics may explain why it was repeatedly stated in the literature that c-waves did not exist in a number of cone dominated retinas.

Anesthesia, General↗

Involvement of GABAergic mechanisms in the optokinetic nystagmus of the frog.

Frog optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) was studied before and after an intravitreal injection of picrotoxin, a specific non-competitive GABA antagonist. In monocular vision, the OKN displayed a directional asymmetry favouring the Temporal-Nasal (T-N) stimulation. In that case, the nystagmus extinction frequency (NEF) is low, about 2 frames/s. In binocular vision, the OKN is symmetrical with a facilitation of performances compared to monocular vision (NEF = 3 frames/s). In monocular as in binocular vision, an intravitreal injection of picrotoxin (between 1 X 10(-4) and 5 X 10(-3) M) provoked the disappearance of the injected eye OKN and a spectacular facilitation in the performances of the intact eye, with the appearance of a N-T component and the increase of the NEF value reaching 7 or 11.5 frames/s according to the experimental conditions. This contralateral facilitation was no longer observed after the optic nerve of the injected eye had been cut, indicating that such a facilitation can only be explained by alterations of a central process triggered by the visual input. It is concluded that GABAergic mechanisms might be responsible for the inhibition of the N-T component in the frog OKN and might be involved in the control of the power of temporal resolution in this animal.

Animals↗

[Stereospecificity of the action of alpha-aminoadipic acid on the retina: a morphological and electrophysiological study].

An intravitreal injection of the D isomer of the alpha-amino adipic acid (alpha-aa) entails the progressive disappearance of the ERG b wave as well as that of tectal evoked potentials (TEP). These physiological effects are concomitant with a specific glial cell damage in frog and chicken retinas. At low concentrations, the L isomer is more gliotoxic than the D isomer; the ERG b wave is suppressed while TEP are always recorded. At higher concentrations, the L isomer suppresses TEP and damages both glial and neuronal cells.

2-Aminoadipic Acid↗

Effects of DL-alpha-amino adipic acid on Müller cells in frog and chicken retinae in vivo: relation to ERG b wave, ganglion cell discharge and tectal evoked potentials.

In both frog and chicken, an intravitreal injection of DL-alpha-amino-adipic acid, (DL-alpha aaa) provoked a progressive depression and eventually the disappearance of the ERG b wave that was concomitant with severe damage to the Müller cells without any apparent damage to retinal neurons. Ganglion cell discharges as well as tectal evoked potentials were still recorded, i.e. a visual message was still generated in the retina and transmitted to the optic tectum, when the Müller cells had been damaged to as to provoke an abolition of the ERG b-wave. The whole of the drug-induced effects proved to be reversible.

2-Aminoadipic Acid↗

Effects of some amino acids (GABA, glycine, taurine) and of their antagonists (picrotoxin, strychnine) on spatial and temporal features of frog retinal ganglion cell responses.

When intravitreally injected in the frog, GABA reduced the receptive field area of transient retinal ganglion cells, and it decreased the response duration and the number of spikes both at ON and at OFF. Conversely, its antagonist picrotoxin provoked an increase in the duration of both ON and OFF discharges as well as a marked increase in the number of spikes. Furthermore, picrotoxin provoked a marked increase in the size of the receptive field of both sustained and ON-OFF cells by abolishing the inhibition exerted by the surround upon the centre of the field. Glycine and taurine did not affect the size of the receptive field of these ganglion cells. They had no effect on the responses of sustained ganglion cells, while they totally suppressed OFF discharges of transient ganglion cells, without modifying their ON discharges. Conversely, their antagonist strychnine totally suppressed the ON dishcarges while the OFF discharges were still recorded, though with a reduced number of spikes and an increased latency, An histoautoradiographic study, carried out in parallel, showed that GABA is taken up by both horizontal cells and amacrine cells, while glycine and taurine are taken up by the amacrine cells only.

Amino Acids↗

[Implication of GABA in the spatial organization of the receptive fields of retinal ganglia cells of frogs].

An histoautoradiographic study of the Chicken and Frog retinae was made following an intravitreal injection if tritiated GABA. This amino acid was especially fixed at the amacrine and horizontal cell level. It has been suggested (Werblin, 1974) that horizontal cells might be responsible for the spatial organization of the receptive fields of retinal ganglion cells. GABA could thus be involved in bringing about of the centre-surround arrangement of the latter receptive fields. We have shown that picrotoxin, a specific GABA-antagonist, does indeed provoke marked changes in the activity of retinal ganglion cells. It provokes a decrease in the response threshold, a facilitation of spontaneous activities, and a marked increase in the receptive field area of the ON-OFF ganglion cells: from 12 at the start, it reaches 24 under the effect of picrotoxin.

Aminobutyrates↗