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At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Dopamine agonist-induced stereotypic grooming and self-mutilation following striatal dopamine depletion.

Rats with bilateral 6-OHDA-induced striatal lesions exhibit altered apomorphine-induced behavior compared to the typical response seen in intact rats. This response is characterized by stereotypic grooming behavior which is transformed to compulsive and intense biting at higher doses. Other agonists, pergolide, bromocriptine, N-n-propylnorapomorphine and L-dopa/carbidopa, caused the same response. Direct intrastriatal infusion of apomorphine after 6-OHDA-induced lesions of the striata also produced this response, while similar SKF 38393 infusion caused more licking than biting, directed at the abdomen instead of the forepaws. The dopamine receptor antagonists haloperidol, SCH 23390 and sulpiride effectively blocked apomorphine-induced behaviors in dopamine-depleted animals. This altered behavior was not observed in rats with dopamine depletion in nucleus accumbens (NAS), nor did additional NAS lesions in rats with existing striatal lesions affect the behavior. Further, high doses of apomorphine (up to 60 mg/kg) failed to induce stereotypic grooming in unlesioned rats. We therefore propose that altered apomorphine-induced behavior is a unique consequence of striatal dopamine depletion and not just an intense form of normal stereotypic activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Dopaminergic control of locomotion, mouthing, snout contact, and grooming: opposing roles of D1 and D2 receptors.

The study compares the behavioral profiles induced in rats (N = 118) by the D2-dopaminergic receptor agonist quinpirole (0.03 and 0.5 mg/kg), and the D1-agonist SKF38393 (1.25-40 mg/kg), and both agonists administered together. Locomotion and snout contact frequency were reduced by the low but increased by the high dose of quinpirole; SKF38393 also reduced these behaviors and attenuated the effect of the high quinpirole dose. Only the high dose of quinpirole increased the duration of snout contact bouts and the frequency of mouthing; SKF38393 had no effect but in combination with the high dose of quinpirole, it enhanced the performance of these behaviors greatly. The duration of mouthing bouts was not affected by either agonist but was greatly extended when SKF38393 was administered together with the high dose of quinpirole. Grooming was inhibited by both the low and the high dose of quinpirole, and stimulated by the injection of SKF38393 or its addition to the low dose of quinpirole. These findings suggest that snout contact is controlled by modulating the frequency of episodes whereas mouthing is controlled by modulating the duration of episodes. Moreover, although they do not disprove the prevailing notion of D1-D2 receptor synergism, the present data are consistent also with an oppositional model of D1-D2 receptor interaction in the regulation of locomotion, snout contact, mouthing, and grooming in intact animals.

2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-ben↗
PubMed1984

Behavioral and electrophysiological manifestations of bombesin: excessive grooming and elimination of sleep.

The effect of bombesin, applied intraventricularly in the rat, was examined with regard to the central control of behavior and arousal. Infusion of 1.0 micrograms bombesin produced stereotypic grooming activity and completely eliminated observable sleep. EEG frequency analysis confirmed the absence of sleep and demonstrated normal waking patterns during behavioral stereotypy. These results support a possible physiologic function for bombesin-like peptides in grooming and the sleep-waking cycle.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1987

Hypothalamic substrates for brain stimulation-induced grooming, digging and circling in the rat.

Despite a great number of studies concerned with the induction of specific behavioural responses from the rat hypothalamus by electrical brain stimulation, hypothalamic response areas and underlying neural substrates have never been determined accurately. In this study the boundaries of the hypothalamic response areas for grooming, digging and circling were delimited using moveable electrodes, an enriched environment containing a variety of goal objects, and an appropriate statistical technique. A total of 641 hypothalamic sites in 71 male CPB/WU Wistar rats were electrically stimulated. Results are plotted on a detailed stereotaxic brain atlas of the rat hypothalamus. Positive sites for any behavioural response cluster into restricted hypothalamic areas. Discriminant analysis of both positive and negative electrode localizations yields areas with high, intermediate or low probabilities of inducing the behavioural response concerned. Each response has its own response area where probabilities are high, although there may be overlap. Even within response areas a distinction can be made between areas in which the response can be induced at relatively high or low threshold current intensities. Lowest threshold sites within electrode tracks are often clustered. In search of neuroanatomical correlates, grooming is related to the distribution of ACTH-immunoreactive neural elements, digging is related to the distribution of efferent fibres from the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and circling is related to the distribution of dopaminergic fibres of the nigrostriatal pathway. The results clearly point to the stimulation site being the most important determinant of the evoked behavioural response. Evidently behavioural specificity does exist within the hypothalamus.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Hypothalamic substrates for brain stimulation-induced attack, teeth-chattering and social grooming in the rat.

In this paper the boundaries of the hypothalamic response areas for brain stimulation-induced attack, social grooming and teeth-chattering were delimited. A total of 641 hypothalamic sites in 71 male CPW/WU Wistar rats were electrically stimulated. Positive sites for any behavioural response cluster into restricted hypothalamic areas. Discriminant analysis of both positive and negative electrode localizations yields areas with high, intermediate and low probabilities of inducing the behavioural response concerned. Each response has its own response area where probabilities are high. Neuroanatomical correlates of these response areas are discussed. The response area of attack is suggested to be an integrative processing area, stimulation of which overrules some aspects of integration and directly activates the behavioural program of attack. Although some authors consider all three responses to be part of the behavioural repertoire of aggression, the response areas are not identical. Social grooming and attack are considered to be induced from different neural systems. Similarly, attack and teeth-chattering have been shown to derive from different neural mechanisms, despite substantial overlap of both response areas. It is suggested that teeth-chattering derives from the simultaneous activation of both attack and flight tendencies. No further distinctions with respect to threshold current intensities can be made within responses areas. However, the underlying neural substrates are not homogeneous, for thresholds vary along the course of individual electrodes.

Aggression↗
PubMed1982

Cycloheximide prevents apomorphine-induced yawning, penile erection and genital grooming in rats.

Apomorphine (50 micrograms/kg) induced repeated episodes of yawning, penile erection and genital grooming in rats. A dose of cycloheximide, which inhibited brain protein synthesis by 50% totally prevented apomorphine-induced yawning and reduced by approximately 50% the occurrence of episodes of penile erection and genital grooming. However, this treatment failed to modify the stereotyped behaviour induced by 200 micrograms/kg of apomorphine. These results suggest that protein synthesis is required for the behavioural effects of small doses of apomorphine.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Neurotensin diminishes grooming and stimulates paper shredding behavior induced by water immersion of rats.

Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of 2 micrograms neurotensin, a brain and gastro-intestinal peptide which elicits various behavioral responses, diminishes grooming but stimulates paper shredding behavior of rats evoked by water immersion. Neither naloxone (2 micrograms i.c.v.) nor haloperidol (2 micrograms i.c.v.) affect grooming and paper shredding behavior as observed following water immersion of rats.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Ontogeny of locomotor activity and grooming in the young rat: role of dopamine D1 and D2 receptors.

Locomotor activity and grooming were assessed in 11- and 17-day-old rat pups after treatment with selective dopamine (DA) D-1 and D-2 agonists (SKF 38393 and quinpirole, respectively) and antagonists (SCH 23390 and sulpiride, respectively). Quinpirole enhanced the locomotor activity of both the 11- and 17-day-olds, effects antagonized by either SCH 23390 or sulpiride. Drug-induced increases in grooming were apparent only after high doses (30.0 mg/kg i.p.) of SKF 38393 (11- and 17-day-olds) or when SKF 38393 (15.0 mg/kg i.p.) was given in conjunction with sulpiride (11-day-olds). In general, these results suggest that challenge with selective DA agonists and antagonists induces patterns of responding which are similar to those typically observed in adult rats. Moreover, these results indicate that rat pups, like adults, require a functioning DA D-1 receptor system for the expression of DA D-2-mediated activity.

2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-ben↗
PubMed1994

Association of autosomal loci with the grooming activity in mice observed in open-field.

We studied the reactions of mice when placed in an open-field environment and counted the grooming score in response to novelty. We used animals from Mendelian F2s and backcrosses, obtained from the parental strains ABP/Le and C57BL/6By, to test the hypothesis that the differences in this behavior were due to genetic variation at loci associated with visible recessive markers. Furthermore, the analysis of the segregating populations by means of non parametric Collins' method was used to test the one segregating unit hypothesis. We provide evidence for genes involved in the variation of grooming activity and situated close to the locus se on chromosome 9. Although the one-locus hypothesis was ruled out in the general analysis, a possible major gene effect in some crosses suggests a maternal environment effect.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Flavor avoidance expressed in grooming by pine voles (Microtus pinetorum): importance of context and hormonal factors.

Pine voles (Microtus pinetorum) were given sipper tubes containing saccharin solution, and after drinking, were injected with 0.15 M LiCl. Subsequently, two-sipper tests were given to assure the presence of conditioned flavor avoidance (CFA), and then animals were presented with saccharin in carboxymethyl-cellulose on their own fur (autogrooming), or on the fur of cagemates (allogrooming). CFA was expressed in two-sipper tests, and during allogrooming of material from a cagemate's fur, but not during autogrooming. Failure to express CFA during autogrooming was associated with high circulating levels of corticosterone and cortisol, steroids implicated in behavioral arousal. These results are consistent with previous work showing that rats and mice will ingest flavors while grooming that they would otherwise avoid. We speculate that our findings provide a plausible explanation for the successful use of grooming to increase the ingestion of unpalatable toxicants.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1987

Postcopulatory genital grooming in male rats: prevention of sexually transmitted infections.

Prevention of postcopulatory genital grooming in male rats increased the likelihood that they would be genitally infected with a marker microorganism (Staphylococcus aureus) inoculated previously into the vagina of female rats. Male as well as female rat saliva was found to have very minimal bactericidal effects on the marker organism indicating that physical washing during postcopulatory grooming can prevent the transmission of infectious organisms. Saliva of both male and female rats, however, was found to have bactericidal effects on 2 murine pathogens (Pasteurella pneumotropica and Mycoplasma pulmonis) that infect the genitalia of males and females, revealing that the physical washing effect can be enhanced by specific antibacterial properties of saliva for some reputed genital pathogens.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

The inhibition of oxytocin-induced grooming by a specific receptor antagonist.

The bilateral injection of the oxytocin receptor antagonist, N-acetyl-2-O-methyl-tyrosine-oxytocin (AMTO), in the nucleus accumbens of male rats prevented oxytocin-enhanced grooming without affecting locomotor activity. This effect was dose related. Oxytocin infusions did not alter open field activity. The present study investigated whether oxytocin receptors in the nucleus accumbens are essential for the expression of grooming enhanced by the neuropeptide.

Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists↗
PubMed1980

Post-swim grooming in mice inhibited by dopamine receptor antagonists and by cannabinoids.

After a period of swimming, mice engaged in vigorous grooming activity. This behaviour was inhibited in a dose dependent manner by dopamine receptor antagonists and by the cannabinoids, delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabinol. Cannabidiol was inactive. It is suggested that the post-swin grooming behaviour involves a dopaminergic mechanism. The mechanism of action of the cannabinoids on this behaviour is unknown.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Neonatal administration of oxytocin increases novelty-induced grooming in the adult rat.

Three-day-old Sprague-Dawley rat pups were intracisternally infused with a single dose of oxytocin (1 microgram/2 microliters) or saline, or were untreated. As adults, these animals were observed for novelty-induced grooming, analgesia measured by the hot-plate test, and behavior in the open field. Oxytocin treatment during infancy resulted in an elevation of novelty-induced grooming when compared to saline and untreated animals. There were no significant oxytocin treatment effects on analgesia response or open-field behaviors. Oxytocin given early in life may have permanent effects on certain behavioral responses to stress.

Aging↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of structural requirements of alpha-MSH and ACTH for inducing excessive grooming and pigment dispersion.

alpha-MSH and ACTH-like peptides are known to play an important role in the adaptation of many vertebrates to a new environment. These peptides induce pigment dispersion in amphibian melanophores through a receptor-mediated mechanism. In this study we compared the structural requirements of these peptides for melanotropic activity on Xenopus laevis melanophores with those for inducing excessive grooming in the rat. With the exception of ACTH1-24 there is a close resemblance in structure-activity relationships of the fragments and analogs tested in the two bioassays. [Nle4,-D-Phe7]-alpha-MSH is extremely active in both assays. Weak agonists such as [Leu9]-alpha-MSH did not possess antagonistic properties either in the melanophore assay or in the excessive grooming test. The data suggest that the mechanism of action of alpha-MSH-like peptides in rat brain is receptor-mediated like their action on melanophores.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMedDate not supplied

ACTH1-4 potentiates alpha-MSH-induced melanophore dispersion and excessive grooming.

The biological activity and a possible modulatory role of the N-terminal tetrapeptide Ser-Tyr-Ser-Met from alpha-MSH/ACTH was tested in the Anolis melanophore assay, the Xenopus melanophore assay, tyrosinase stimulation in mouse melanoma cells and in excessive grooming in the rat. ACTH1-4 did not exhibit biological activity in any of these four assays nor did it have modulatory properties in the Xenopus and the melanoma cell assay. However, in the Anolis assay ACTH1-4 potentiated pigment dispersion induced by alpha-MSH, alpha-MSH5-13 and ACTH1-24 by a factor of about 2. In the grooming assay ACTH1-4 potentiated the effects of alpha-MSH, alpha-MSH5-13, ACTH1-16 and ACTH5-16, but not those of ACTH1-24. Oxidized ACTH1-4 was without biological activity and potentiating properties in all four assays. This study shows that small fragments of the pro-opiomelanocortin precursor, which are devoid of biological activity, can modulate peripheral and central actions of alpha-MSH/ACTH.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1988

Specific neuroanatomical and neurochemical correlates of locomotor and grooming effects of bombesin.

Experiments characterized the behavioral effects of bombesin (BN) administered systemically (1-8 micrograms/kg; IP) or centrally at the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) and the nucleus accumbens (NA) (0.0001-1.0 microgram/0.5 microliter). The role of dopaminergic system(s) in the mediation of BN-induced behavioral effects in rat was also investigated. Locomotor activity was quantitated with the aid of microprocessor controlled infrared beam grid systems while grooming related behaviors were simultaneously collected by an observer using time-sampling procedures over a 60 min period. Locomotor stimulation appeared to be specific to BN administration at the NA whereas the elicitation of grooming appeared to be specific to BN administration at the NTS. The dopaminergic system(s) appeared to play a significant role in the mediation of the effects of BN administered intra NA but not intra NTS.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

The "low-dose" concept and the paradoxical effects of prolactin on grooming and sexual behavior.

The effects of prolactin on animal behavior include the stimulation of novelty-induced grooming in rats. This effect has been demonstrated in hyperprolactinaemic animals bearing pituitary homografts under the kidney capsule or after intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of prolactin. Since plasma prolactin levels in hyperprolactinaemic rats are similar to those of animals injected with low doses of rat prolactin, we studied the effects of this hormone injected subcutaneously (s.c.) in a dose range of 5-50 microg/kg. Novelty-induced grooming was enhanced only in rats injected with 5 or 10 microg/kg rat prolactin, whereas no effect was observed after the s.c. injection of the higher dose. The sexual behavior of male rats is also affected by prolactin. Male rats with normal mating activity showed enhanced sexual behavior when injected s.c. with rat prolactin (5, 10 or 50 microg/kg). In animals with poor sexual performance or in impotent rats, prolactin (5 or 10 microg/kg, but not 50 microg/kg) restored the full pattern of sexual behavior. An increased lordosis quotient was also observed in ovariectomized rats treated with prolactin 5 or 10 microg/kg. These results suggest that, besides the duration of hyperprolactinaemia, the effective level of plasma prolactin is important for the expression of the behavioral effects of this hormone.

Animals↗