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Biomedical subjects

W Kostowski

Publications and source records attributed to W Kostowski.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Noradrenergic agonists and antagonists: effects on avoidance behaviour in rats.

The effects of various agonists and antagonists of both alpha and beta adrenoceptors on the acquisition of avoidance behaviour were investigated in the rat. Clonidine, a selective agonist of alpha 2 adrenoceptors depressed avoidance acquisition whilst yohimbine, an antagonist of these receptors produced an opposite effect. Prazosin which showed postsynaptic alpha 1 adrenoceptor blocking activity reduced avoidance behaviour. A similar effect was produced by propranolol, a non-selective antagonist of beta adrenoceptors. On the other hand, salbutamol preferentially stimulating beta 2 adrenoceptors facilitated avoidance behaviour. In general, the results show a fairly good correlation between avoidance acquisition and efficacy of noradrenergic neurotransmission.

Adrenergic Agonists↗
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The effect of antidepressant drugs on dominance behavior in rats competing for food.

Wistar male rats were maintained on a regimen of restricted access to food. The animals were randomly paired and placed in a special apparatus containing the feeder constructed in such a manner that only one rat at a time could drink sweetened milk. The dominance-subordination (d-s) relationship developed in about 80% of the pairs. This was manifested by the dominant rat eating for a longer period of time than the submissive rat. Clonidine (0.1 mg/kg ip) given to the dominant rats abolished the stable d-s hierarchies. Tricyclic antidepressants and mianserin given for 5 consecutive days prevented the clonidine action. Yohimbine, the antagonist of alpha 2 adrenoceptors produced a similar effect. Drugs belonging to other groups (e.g. neuroleptics and anxiolytics) had no effect on the clonidine-induced suppression of dominance.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Further studies on the role of noradrenergic mechanisms in ethanol withdrawal syndrome in rats.

Ethanol dependence was induced in rats by intragastric administration of ethanol. Clonidine (0.1 mg/kg ip) suppressed withdrawal reaction while yohimbine (2.5 mg/kg ip) produced an opposite effect. Propranolol (2.0 mg/kg ip) reduced withdrawal convulsions but not locomotor hyperactivity while prazosin (1.0 mg/kg ip) attenuated only the latter symptom. Electrolytic lesions in the ventral noradrenergic bundle slightly increased locomotor activity in ethanol-dependent rats but failed to change the convulsions. Our result indicates that drugs acting upon alpha and beta adrenoceptors are able to reduce the severity of certain withdrawal reactions in ethanol-dependent rats.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of chloro-N-desmethyldiazepam on serum and brain tryptophan and serotonin in relation to the activity of central serotonergic neurons.

Chloro-N-desmethyldiazepam (CDD) significantly reduced plasma tryptophan (TRY) and increased brain TRY in mice and rats. Quipazine did not change TRY levels in mouse plasma and brain but it respectively reduced and increased these two parameters in rats, to almost the same extent as CDD. Metergoline, an antagonist of serotonergic receptors, decreased blood TRY in both mice and rats but failed to change brain TRY. CDD significantly but slightly increased brain serotonin in rats. This effect was blocked by metergoline.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of lesions of the brain noradrenergic systems on amphetamine-induced hyperthermia and locomotor stimulation.

Amphetamine-induced hyperthermia and increase of locomotor activity were studied in Wistar rats with bilateral electrolytic lesions of the locus coeruleus (LC) and ventral noradrenergic bundle (VB). The hyperthermic effect of 5 mg/kg i.p. of d,l-amphetamine was reduced by VB lesion but not by lesion involving selectively the LC. Both lesions significantly reduced the stimulatory action of amphetamine on the locomotor activity. These data indicate that both LC and VB are involved in amphetamine-induced locomotor stimulation. On the other hand, amphetamine hyperthermia can be dissociated from the effects on locomotion as regards the involvement of the brain noradrenergic systems.

Amphetamine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of lesion of the locus coeruleus and clonidine treatment on ethanol withdrawal syndrome in rats.

Ethanol dependence was induced i Wistar male rats by administration of ethanol by gavage for 5 days in 3 fractional doses. Clonidine (0.1 mg/kg ip) strongly reduced the withdrawal syndrome. Bilateral lesions in the nucleus locus coeruleus were also able to decrease several withdrawal signs. Our data indicate that drugs decreasing activity of noradrenergic brain neurons might be useful in treatment of ethanol dependence.

Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of chronic clonidine treatment and lesion of the locus coeruleus on the conditioned avoidance behavior in rats.

The effect of chronic clonidine treatment (0.2 mg/kg ip. during 10 consecutive days) on two-way avoidance acquisition was investigated in two groups of rats; sham operated and bilaterally lesioned with the locus coeruleus. Clonidine almost completely blocked the acquisition of avoidance reaction in both groups. In rats injected with saline, lesion of the locus coeruleus significantly decreased the avoidance reaction. The results indicate that destruction of presynaptic sites of clonidine action in neurons of the locus coeruleus failed to change the action of drug.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Audiogenic seizures in rats: relation to noradrenergic neurons of the locus coeruleus.

Bilateral lesions involving the nucleus locus coeruleus produced a substantial decrease in the forebrain noradrenaline concentrations. Lesioned animals showed an increased susceptibility to audiogenic seizures. It is supposed that noradrenergic neurons, belonging to the locus coeruleus, play an inhibitory role in the seizure mechanism.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of lesions of the ventral noradrenergic bundle on the two-way avoidance behavior in rats.

Bilateral electrolytic lesions of the ventral noradrenergic bundle (VB) were performed in Wistar male rats. Seven to eight days after the surgery animals were trained for two-way avoidance behavior (10 days, 15 trials per day). Lesions of the VB facilitated avoidance acquisition and slightly increased intertial responses. The latency of avoidance reaction as well as latency of escape was unchanged in VB-lesioned animals. The possible role of VB in mechanism of learning is discussed. It is pointed out that VB may play an opposite role to the dorsal noradrenergic bundle which is known to facilitate learning.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of lesions of the Locus coeruleus and the ventral noradrenergic bundle on the antinociceptive action of clonidine in rats.

Effects of electrolytic lesions of noradrenergic brain systems on clonidine-induced analgesia were tested in rats by tail-compression method. Bilateral lesions of the locus coereleus decreased clonidine analgesia whilst lesions involving the ventral noradrenergic bundle produced no significant effect. These data demonstrate that antinociceptive effect of clonidine is related to action upon the noradrenergic system of the locus coeruleus.

Analgesics↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Studies on antidepressant action of a new oxazolidinone derivative AS-8.

On the basis of previous laboratory studies AS-8 was suggested to possess antidepressant-like activity. Forced swim test, learned helplessness and conflict Vogel's test were performed after three prior administrations of AS-8 (24, 5 and 1 h before the test). The data have shown that AS-8 produces moderate antidepressant effect but did not induce anxiolytic-like action. Biochemical data revealed increased brain 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels following AS-8 administration. The combined treatment of rats with AS-8 (100 mg/kg) and amitriptyline (5 mg/kg) or desipramine (1.25 mg/kg) significantly stimulated active behavior in the forced swim test above the level obtained with each of the drug given separately. The present data suggest the potential antidepressant efficacy of AS-8 in conjunction with small doses of tricyclic antidepressants.

Amitriptyline↗