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Genetics of nicotine response in four inbred strains of mice.

The effects of nicotine on five behavioral and physiological measures were determined in four inbred mouse strains (BALB, C57BL, DBA and C3H). In addition, the binding characteristics of nicotine and alpha-bungarotoxin, two ligands which appear to label different nicotinic receptors, were measured in seven discrete brain regions, as well as in whole brain. A number of differences in response to nicotine were found among the four inbred strains. Whereas nicotine depressed open-field activity of BALB, C57BL and DBA mice in a dose-dependent manner, low doses of nicotine increased locomotor activity in C3H mice. The doses of nicotine tested reduced Rotarod performance in DBA and C57BL mice but not in C3H and BALB mice. All four strains displayed a dose-dependent decrease in body temperature after nicotine administration. The BALB mice were more sensitive to the drug than were the C3H, whereas the effects on C57BL and DBA mice were intermediate. All four strains showed a transient increase in respiration only after a high (2.0 mg/kg) nicotine dose. No dose of nicotine was found to have an effect on the startle response after auditory stimulation in three of the strains; only the C3H mice exhibited enhanced startle after nicotine was administered. Differences in DL-[ 3H ]nicotine binding among the seven brain regions were noted in each strain, but no differences among strains were observed. The IC50 values for inhibition of this binding by nicotine did not differ among brain regions within any strain or within any region among strains. Similarly, nicotine inhibited alpha-[125I]bungarotoxin binding with equal potency in all brain regions of each of the four strains; however, the binding of this ligand was significantly lower in the midbrain and hippocampus of DBA mice than it was in these regions in the other three strains. Thus, genetic factors influence response to nicotine, but variation in response is not easily explained by differences in brain nicotinic receptors.

Animals↗

Does status epilepticus influence the motor development of immature rats?

PURPOSE: To study the effect of severe status epilepticus (SE) on the motor development of rats. METHODS: SE was induced in 12-day-old rats (P12 group) and 25-day-old rats (P25 group) using the lithium-pilocarpine model. Seizures were interrupted after 2 hours by paraldehyde with an intraperitoneal dose of 0.3 or 0.6 mL/kg, respectively. Starting 3 days after SE, all animals were repeatedly exposed to a battery of motor and behavioral tests, including the bar-holding test, rotarod test, and open field test. RESULTS: In P12 animals, motor impairment occurred 2 months after SE, when significantly worse performance in the rotarod test was found. No difference between controls and experimental rats was found in any other test used. In contrast, P25 animals were significantly poorer in the bar-holding test from postnatal day 34 until adulthood. In open field study, P25 rats were found to be hyperactive during the whole period of testing, whereas P12 animals exhibited an initial period of hypoactivity (in the first test) that was replaced by hyperactivity that lasted until 2 months of age. In the last test performed at the age of 98 days, experimental P12 animals were again less active than age-matched controls. CONCLUSIONS: Animals of both age groups exhibited permanent changes of motor performance; however, both the pattern and the time course of these changes was related to age when SE was elicited.

Age Factors↗

Studies on some pharmacological activities of 7-nitro-2-amino-5-phenyl-3H-1,5-benzodiazepine (CP 1414 S) in the rat. A comparison with diazepam.

Brain distribution and various pharmacological effects of 7-nitro-2-amino-5-phenyl-1,5-benzodiazepine (CP 1414 S) and diazepam were studied in rats. Injected at 10 mg/kg i.p., the compounds reached brain peak concentrations 15 min after administration and showed an apparent half-life of about 50 min. CP 1414 S was about ten times less potent than diazepam in protecting rats from pentetrazole convulsions, increasing punished responses in a "conflict" test and disrupting rotarod performance. At the lowest doses effective in these tests diazepam, but not CP 1414 S, caused significant reduction of spontaneous locomotor activity in rats. On the basis of the test selected, it is concluded that CP 1414 S causes effects similar to those shown by diazepam in the same conditions, although with less potency. It causes less depression of motor behaviour than diazepam, at least at the lowest doses and in rats.

Animals↗

Sedation and need-free salt intake in rats treated with clonidine.

The effect of intraperitoneal injection of clonidine (9-72 microg/kg) on need-free 1.5% NaCl intake and on performance (defined as percent of a complete trial) in the rotarod test, was studied in normovolemic adult male rats. Clonidine (18 and 36 microg/kg) inhibited the 1.5% NaCl intake in a 2-h test at doses that did not alter the performance in the rotarod test. The dose of 36 microg/kg did not inhibit 10% sucrose intake. Only the highest dose (72 microg/kg) of clonidine inhibited the 1.5% NaCl intake and the performance in the rotarod test, and produced signs of sedation. Sedation was determined either by change in posture (immobility or lack of postural tonus) of the animals during the ingestive test or by their performance in the rotarod test. The results suggest that sedation is not a determinant effect on the inhibition of 1.5% NaCl intake induced by clonidine.

Adrenergic alpha-Agonists↗

The anticonvulsant and behavioural profile of L-687,414, a partial agonist acting at the glycine modulatory site on the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor complex.

1. The anticonvulsant and behavioural effects of the glycine/NMDA receptor partial agonist, L-687,414 (R(+)-cis-beta-methyl-3-amino-1-hydroxypyrrolid-2-one) have been investigated in rodents. 2. L-687,414 dose-dependently antagonized seizures induced by N-methyl-D,L- aspartic acid (NMDLA, ED50 = 19.7 mg kg-1), pentylenetetrazol (PTZ, ED50 = 13.0 mg kg-1) and electroshock (ED50 = 26.1 mg kg-1) when given intravenously 15 min before test, in male Swiss Webster mice but was most potent against audiogenic seizures induced by a 120 dB bell in DBA/2 mice (ED50 = 5.1 mg kg-1, i.p., 30 min before test). 3. L-687,414 also induced impairments of performance in a rotarod test in both Swiss Webster and DBA/2 mice and the ratio [rotarod MED:anticonvulsant ED50] varied between 0.9 and 5, depending on the convulsant used. 4. Similar behaviours to those seen after administration of the non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, MK-801 (head weaving, body rolling, hyperlocomotion) were seen in the mouse after giving L-687,414, although the peak effect occurred at a dose (100 mg kg-1) which was 5-20 times the anticonvulsant ED50S, depending on the convulsant used. Unlike MK-801, however, doses of L-687,414 that were behaviourally stimulant did not increase dopamine turnover in the nucleus accumbens. 5. Consistent with the interaction of L-687,414 with the glycine/NMDA receptor, the anticonvulsant, ataxic and motor stimulant effects of the compound were significantly attenuated by the glycine/NMDA receptor agonist, D-serine (10-100 micrograms per mouse, i.c.v.). 6. The results show that L-687,414 is a potent, orally active anticonvulsant with a more benign pharmacological profile than antagonists acting at the ion channel of the NMDA receptor complex. The compound is a useful tool with which to probe the functional role of the glycine co-agonist site in vivo.

Animals↗

Continuous intravenous infusion of phencyclidine in unrestrained rats results in the rapid induction of tolerance and physical dependence.

The continuous infusion of 45 mg/kg/24 hr of phencyclidine (PCP) into the jugular vein of unrestrained rats induced tolerance to PCP-induced impairment of forced motor activity and physical dependence in 3.5 and 7 days, respectively. In drug-naive rats, an i.v. 2-mg/kg PCP test dose abolished rotarod performance for more than 20 min which returned to pretreatment values at 40 min. Eight hours after the termination of 3.5 days of infusion, rotarod performance of PCP-infused rats was significantly less impaired by the PCP test dose at 20 min than that of saline-infused controls. After infusion of PCP for 7 days, the duration of performance abolition produced by the PCP test dose (given 8 hr after the termination of infusion) was shortened further with performance significantly better than that of saline-infused controls at both 10 and 20 min. The results showed a greater than 2-fold tolerance development to this PCP effect and suggest the observed tolerance to be mainly functional in nature. Abrupt withdrawal of PCP after infusion for 7 days resulted in an abstinence syndrome with the following signs: piloerection, increased susceptibility to audiogenic seizures, transient weight loss and reductions in exploratory activity and rotarod performance. The first withdrawal signs were noted 4 hr after the termination of infusion. At 24 hr of abstinence, most of the withdrawal signs had subsided. The reduced rotarod performance, associated with withdrawal, could be reversed by a single i.v. dose of 2 mg/kg of PCP. The reversibility of this sign supports the interpretation of impaired rotarod performance after withdrawal as being an abstinence sign and adds to the experimental evidence that physical dependence on PCP is inducible within 7 days in rats.

Animals↗

Aminophylline exacerbates status epilepticus-induced neuronal damages in immature rats: a morphological, motor and behavioral study.

Adenosine is an endogenous modulator that has an inhibitory effect on neuronal activity. The aim of this work was to investigate the role of aminophylline, an adenosine receptor antagonist, on the long-term effects of status epilepticus (SE) in the developing brain. Four groups of rats at the postnatal age of 12 days were intraperitoneally administered with saline, aminophylline (50 mg/kg), lithium-pilocarpine (Li-PC) (3 mEq/kg-60 mg/kg), and Li-PC plus aminophylline, respectively. The four groups were tested for spatial memory using the Morris water maze task at P80 and motor performance by the Rotarod test at P100. The brains were then analyzed with cresyl violet stain for histological lesions and evaluated for mossy fiber sprouting with the Timm stain. At the acute stage, all rats subjected to Li-PC developed SE and no seizures were elicited in the saline-treated or aminophylline-treated rats. The seizure duration was longer in the Li-PC plus aminophylline group (346.9+/-32.7 min) as compared with that in the Li-PC group (265.2+/-9.8 min). The difference of mortality was not significant. Rats without seizures exhibited no motor imbalance, spatial deficits, or morphological changes. The rats with Li-PC-induced SE demonstrated spatial memory deficits without motor incoordination or morphological changes. However, the rats subjected to Li-PC plus aminophylline exhibited motor impairment and morphological changes, including neuronal cell loss in CA1 area and increased mossy fiber sprouting in CA3 area. In addition, the rats of Li-PC plus aminophylline had greater spatial memory deficits than that seen in rats with Li-PC. We concluded that an adenosine receptor antagonist, such as aminophylline, had synergistic effects on the SE-induced long-term deficit of cognition and motor performance in the developing brain. The present study may provide experimental evidence and lead to novel therapeutic interventions.

Aging↗

Antinociceptive effects of the antidepressants amitriptyline, duloxetine, mirtazapine and citalopram in animal models of acute, persistent and neuropathic pain.

The effects of acute, systemic administration of amitriptyline, duloxetine and mirtazapine (antidepressant drugs that variously affect extracellular noradrenaline and serotonin levels) and the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) citalopram were compared in rat models of experimental pain. None of the drugs (all 3-30 mg/kg, i.p.) affected acute nociceptive responses as measured in the tail flick test. In the hot plate test, duloxetine and mirtazapine significantly increased (P<0.05) the nociceptive response latency, whereas amitriptyline and citalopram were ineffective. In the formalin test, duloxetine and citalopram significantly attenuated, whereas amitriptyline and mirtazapine increased, second phase flinching behaviour (all P<0.05). However, amitriptyline and mirtazapine reduced second phase licking behaviour. In the chronic constriction injury model of neuropathic pain, thermal hyperalgesia of the injured hindpaw was significantly attenuated by all four drugs (P<0.05); only amitriptyline and duloxetine fully reversed thermal hypersensitivity. None of the drugs tested attenuated mechanical allodynia. In contrast amitriptyline, duloxetine and mirtazapine significantly reduced mechanical hyperalgesia (P<0.05); citalopram was ineffective. No drug-related effects on motor performance in the rotarod test were observed. These results (a) highlight the difficulty in correlating antinociceptive effects of drugs from different antidepressant classes across a range of animal pain models and (b) suggest that antidepressants that variously affect both noradrenaline and serotonin levels have more potent and efficacious antinociceptive effects than SSRIs (as exemplified by citalopram), against a range of pain-like behaviours in an animal model of neuropathic pain.

Acute Disease↗

Pharmacological and behavioral profile of alpidem as an anxiolytic.

Pharmacological and behavioral studies in mice and rats have shown that the imidazopyridine alpidem possesses anxiolytic activity with a profile which is substantially different from that of benzodiazepines. Thus, in mice, alpidem inhibited marble-burying behavior and enhanced feeding under stressful conditions, as did benzodiazepines; in contrast to these drugs, however, alpidem was inactive against shock-induced fighting and shock-suppressed exploration. In rats, alpidem exerted anticonflict activity in the punished drinking test, but failed to antagonize punishment-induced inhibition of operant behavior. Moreover, in rats trained to discriminate chlordiazepoxide from saline, alpidem did not produce a benzodiazepine-like interoceptive stimulus. Alpidem also produced anticonvulsant effects in a variety of tests sensitive to benzodiazepines. However, the order of potencies against convulsions induced by different convulsive agents was different from that of the benzodiazepines. Alpidem decreased motor performance in the rotarod test and only produced a deficit in muscle strength at doses which were more than 20 times higher than the doses active in anxiolytic tests. Moreover, alpidem did not interfere with the acquisition of conditioned fear, except at very high doses, indicating a weak potential to impair memory. The effects of alpidem were antagonized by flumazenil, indicating that central omega receptors are involved in the action of this drug. The weak sedative effects of alpidem may be attributed to its low intrinsic activity, as demonstrated by its low efficacy in increasing latency to isoniazid-induced convulsions.

Animals↗

Diazepam attenuates morphine antinociception test-dependently in mice.

The influence of diazepam on the antinociceptive effect of morphine was studied using four different nociceptive tests in mice. In the tail flick test, diazepam induced a dose-dependent reduction of the morphine effect, with an almost total reversed morphine effect following diazepam 2 mg/kg. The effect could not be explained by altered tail skin temperature or pharmacokinetic changes. Diazepam 1 mg/kg and higher induced sedation and significantly impaired the performance in a rotarod test, a dose of 0.5 mg/kg diazepam was therefore used in the other nociceptive tests. This dose of diazepam significantly attenuated the antinociceptive effect of morphine in the constant temperature hot plate test and the tail flick test. In the increasing temperature hot plate test and in the formalin test, no effect of diazepam on the nociceptive effect of morphine was observed. The results indicate that diazepam antagonizes the effect of morphine dependent upon the test employed. No antagonism could be observed in tests with a long-lasting stimulus, and a response integration probably at a rather high level in the CNS. In the two tests showing antagonism, the stimulus is more short-lasting, and at least for the tail flick test, the integration takes place at a lower level in the CNS.

Analgesics↗

Partial depletion of dopamine in substantia nigra impairs motor performance without altering striatal dopamine neurotransmission.

Previous data indicate that the release of somatodendritic dopamine in substantia nigra influences motor activity and coordination, but the relative importance of somatodendritic dopamine release vs. terminal striatal dopamine release remains to be determined. We utilized simultaneous measurement of dopamine neurotransmission by microdialysis and motor performance assessment by rotarod test to investigate the effects of local dopamine depletion in rats. The vesicular monoamine transporter inhibitor tetrabenazine (100 microm) was administered locally in substantia nigra as well as in striatum. Nigral tetrabenazine administration decreased nigral dopamine dialysate concentrations to 7% of baseline and whole-tissue dopamine content by 60%. Nigral dopamine depletion was associated with a reduction in motor performance to 73 +/- 6% of pretreatment value, but did not alter dialysate dopamine concentrations in the ipsilateral striatum. Striatal tetrabenazine administration decreased striatal dopamine dialysate concentrations to 5% of baseline and doubled the somatodendritic dopamine response to motor activity, but it was not associated with changes in motor performance or dopamine content in striatal tissue. Simultaneous treatment of substantia nigra and striatum reduced motor performance to 58 +/- 5% of the pretreatment value. The results of this study indicate that partial depletion of nigral dopamine stores can significantly impair motor functions, and that increased nigral dopamine release can counteract minor impairments of striatal dopamine transmission.

Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors↗

Neonatal dexamethasone on day 7 in rats causes behavioral alterations reflective of hippocampal, but not cerebellar, deficits.

Developmental glucocorticoid treatment in rats has been shown to cause body and brain weight decrements concurrent with behavioral alterations. Here, Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with the synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone (DEX), on postnatal day (PND) 7 (1.5 mg/kg, sc, injected in the morning and afternoon). Behavioral assessments of negative geotaxis, locomotor activity (open field, maze exploration, residential running wheel, residential figure 8 maze), open-field activity response to amphetamine, acoustic startle, prepulse inhibition (PPI) of acoustic startle, juvenile play behavior, anxiety (emergence tests), motor coordination (rotarod performance), spatial learning (Morris water maze and food-reinforced complex maze), and operant performance (time estimation and response inhibition) were assessed in male rats. Body weight was decreased beginning at PND 43 until sacrifice on PND 127. Whole and regional brain weights were less, especially hippocampus, cerebellum, brainstem, and cortical remnant. Indications of delayed development were apparent; specifically, DEX-treated rats took significantly longer to turn on PND 8, but not PND 9, in the negative geotaxis test. DEX treatment induced deficits in the Morris water maze that were similar to hippocampal deficits. Open-field activity changes were inconsistent; however, DEX-treated rats were hyperactive during the dark period in running wheel tests. There were no indications of changes in reactivity or emotionality.

Amphetamine↗

Electrophysiological abnormalities precede apparent histological demyelination in the central nervous system of mice overexpressing proteolipid protein.

Myelin proteolipid protein (plp), a major myelin protein in the CNS, has been proposed to function in myelin assembly. Transgenic mice overexpressing the plp gene by introduction of two extra wild-type (Wt) mouse plp genes (plp(tg/-)) exhibit normal myelination and ion channel clustering at the age of 2 months. However, at the age of 5 months, demyelination becomes observable, accompanied by a reduction in the number of K+ channel clusters at Ranvier's node and a progressive increase in motor deficit. To clarify how these age-dependent changes are related to nerve conduction in the CNS, we analyzed the conduction velocity (CV) and relative refractory period (RRP) of identified spinal ascending or descending tracts, such as the dorsal column pathway, the vestibulospinal and reticulospinal tracts, and the pyramidal tract, in plp(tg/-) mice 2, 5, and 8 months of age. We found that CVs decreased as age increased. Importantly, CVs were significantly reduced and prolonged RRPs were observed in 2-month-old (2M) plp(tg/-) mice that had no apparent demyelination. Immunohistological examination revealed that densities of Na+ and K+ channel clusters decreased as plp(tg/-) and Wt mice aged. However, a clear correlation was not observed between CVs and mean channel cluster densities or between mean channel cluster densities and progress of demyelination. Performance in the rotarod test was normal in 2M plp(tg/-) mice but deteriorated in mice older than age 5 months. These results suggest that electrophysiological analysis can detect the abnormalities of the plp(tg/-) mice earlier than histological or behavioral measures.

Animals↗

Effects of oral, subchronic cadmium administration on fertility, prenatal and postnatal progeny development in rats.

Cadmium chloride was administered by gavage to female rats 5 days a week for 5 weeks, then during mating and gestation periods at doses of 0.04, 0.4, and 4 mg Cd/kg/day. Treatment with cadmium neither affected the survival and fertility of females, nor produced overt fetotoxic effects. Fetal cadmium concentration was not related to the level of exposure. Litter size, body weight gain and viability of offspring during 2 months after parturition were similar in all groups. The exploratory locomotor activity of 2-month-old males and females born to rats given 0.4 and 4 mg Cd/kg/day was significantly reduced. The progeny of cadmium-treated females showed decreased performance in the rotarod test. In general, the degree of behavioral impairment was dose-related.

Animals↗

Characterization of tiagabine (NO-328), a new potent and selective GABA uptake inhibitor.

Tiagabine (NO-328) (R(-)-N-[4,4-bis(3-methylthien-2-yl)but-3-enyl]nipecotic acid, hydrochloride) is a new centrally acting GABA uptake inhibitor. The anticonvulsant activity of tiagabine was evaluated against seizures induced by methyl 6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (DMCM), pentylenetetrazol, bicuculline, maximal electrostimulation (MES), or high intensity sound. The sedative actions of tiagabine were evaluated in tests for traction, rotarod performance and exploratory behavior. Finally, interoceptive properties of tiagabine were assessed using diazepam-, CGS 9896-, pentylenetetrazol-, or amphetamine-discriminating rats. Tiagabine was an effective anticonvulsant in doses which did not produce sedation or motor debilitation, although it was not potent against MES. In a manner similar to other anti-epileptic drugs, tiagabine potentiated dopaminergic function (methylphenidate-induced gnawing in mice) although it did not substitute for amphetamine in amphetamine-trained animals. Furthermore, although tiagabine antagonized DMCM-induced convulsions, it exhibited neither CGS 9896 or diazepam-like interoceptive effects, nor did it block (or potentiate) pentylenetetrazol-discrimination. Thus, GABA uptake inhibition represents a novel rationale for a valproate-like anticonvulsant drug therapy.

Animals↗

Impairment of motor coordination induced by doxorubicin in mice.

The neurotoxic effects of a single intraperitoneal or intravenous injection of doxorubicin were evaluated in CD1 mice by means of the rotarod test. The test was performed daily for nine weeks after treatment. For both routes of administration, animals were treated with various doxorubicin dosages ranging from 18 to 5.9 mg/kg. The three higher i.v. doses (18, 14.4 and 12.5 mg/kg) of doxorubicin induced a severe motor coordination impairment. The histopathological analysis of these animals showed severe damage of sensory nerves. On the contrary, all the i.p. treated animals did not show any sign of motor impairment and of appreciable neurohistological lesion.

Animals↗

Species differences in diisopropylfluorophosphate-induced decreases in the number of brain nicotinic receptors.

DBA and C3H mice were injected chronically with 2.0 mg/kg diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) every other day for 2 or 4 weeks. Although acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and muscarinic receptor numbers ([3H] quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) binding) were decreased in DFP-treated DBA and C3H mice, the number of nicotinic receptors (L-[3H]nicotine and alpha-[125I]bungarotoxin (BTX) binding) was unchanged by chronic DFP treatment. Sprague-Dawley rats injected chronically with lower doses of DFP than were used in mice exhibited a greater reduction in AChE activity, as well as accompanying decreases in [3H]QNB and [3H]nicotine binding. Neither species exhibited changes in alpha-[125I]BTX following chronic DFP injection. The effects of chronic DFP treatment on sensitivity to DFP and to nicotine were also assessed in the two mouse strains using a battery of behavioral and physiological tests that included rotarod performance, Y-maze crossing and rearing activity, heart rate, and body temperature. No tolerance to DFP was observed in either mouse strain after 2 weeks of treatment. Following 4 weeks of treatment, DFP-treated DBA mice exhibited modest tolerance to the effect of DFP on body temperature. C3H mice did not survive the 4-week treatment. Some evidence for reduced sensitivity to nicotine's effects was detected in the DFP-treated DBA mice, but cross-tolerance to nicotine was not observed in the DFP-injected C3H mice. Because chronic DFP treatment did not evoke a change in the number of brain nicotinic receptors, the reduced sensitivity to some of nicotine's effects seen in DBA mice must be due to some factor other than receptor downregulation.

Animals↗

Heterogeneity of tolerance developed to effects of ethanol on rotarod and accelerod performances in rats.

The ethanol-induced impairment of rotarod and accelerod performances has been investigated in rats. Ethanol (7.2%, v/v) was given orally ad lib to rats in a modified liquid diet for 15 days. Rotarod and accelerod performances were recorded before and at the 2nd, 4th, 7th, and 15th days of ethanol intake. The daily ethanol consumption of the rats ranged from 12.03 to 16.4 g/kg. Mean blood ethanol level was estimated as 282.3 and 242.5 mg/dl on the 7th and 15th days of ethanol consumption, respectively. Ethanol significantly decreased (p < 0.01 rotarod performance on the 2nd and 4th days. But tolerance developed to the ethanol-induced impairment of rotarod performance from the 7th day. It also significantly decreased (p < 0.01) accelerod performance of the rats throughout the 15 days. So no tolerance was seen to this action of ethanol. Our results suggest that rotarod and accelerod performance tests seem to have differential characteristics in the context of tolerance development to ethanol in rats.

Animals↗