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Effects of bulbectomy and subsequent antidepressant treatment on brain 5-HT2 and 5-HT1A receptors in mice.

The effects of bilateral olfactory bulbectomy on serotonergic 5-HT2 and 5-HT1A receptor binding were studied in the frontal cortex (FC), limbic structures (LS), including the hippocampus, amygdala, olfactory tubercule, and piriform cortex, and hypothalamus (HTH) in mice. Bulbectomy resulted in the increase of Bmax for [3H]spiperone binding with 5-HT2 receptors in FC in C57Bl/6j. The receptors in LS and HTH remained unchanged. Subchronic treatment of the bulbectomized mice with antidepressant trazodone (20 mg/kg/day, IP, 14 days) induced downregulation of 5-HT2 receptors in FC and LS. The other two antidepressants used, amitriptyline (20 mg/kg/day, IP, 14 days) and imipramine (10 mg/kg/day, IP, 14 days), did not alter these receptors. [3H]8-OH-DPAT binding with 5-HT1A receptors was not altered by bulbectomy in any brain area in C57Bl/6j mice. Amitriptyline and trazodone decreased Bmax for these receptors in FC in the bulbectomized mice while imipramine was ineffective. Amitriptyline and imipramine significantly increased Bmax and decreased Kd in HTH, and trazodone displayed the same tendency. Bulbectomy did not alter 5-HT2 receptors in DBA/2j mice. Amitriptyline increased Kd in the all brain areas without changing Bmax in the bulbectomized DBA/2j mice. Trazodone significantly decreased Bmax in FC and increased Kd in FC and LS. Imipramine decreased Bmax while increasing Kd in LS. The possible involvement of the serotonin receptor subtypes in the bulbectomy-induced behavioral deficits and in the restorative action of the antidepressants is discussed.

8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin↗

Expression of hippocalcin in the developing rat brain.

Expression of hippocalcin in the developing rat brain was investigated by a combination of Northern blot, in situ hybridization, immunoblot and immunohistochemical methods. In the hippocampus, hippocalcin mRNA and immunoreactivity first appeared in the CA3 pyramidal cells on embryonic day 19 (E19) and postnatal day 1 (P1), respectively, and extended throughout Ammon's horn. After P14, the hippocampal pyramidal cells, especially in the CA1 region, maintained the highest expression level among the brain regions. The dentate granule cells expressed a small amount of hippocalcin mRNA and immunoreactivity from P7 and maintained a low level through the developmental stages. In the cerebral cortex, hippocalcin mRNA and immunoreactivity appeared in the pyramidal cells of the piriform cortex from P1 and P4, respectively. Their expression extended throughout the cerebral cortex and reached the maximum level on P14, and then declined gradually with age to half of the maximum level by adults. In the cerebellum, a few Purkinje cells expressed a small amount of hippocalcin mRNA and immunoreactivity on P7. Their expression became evident in most of the Purkinje cells on P14 and increased gradually by P28. Then, their expression declined with age; however, the immunoreactivity was concentrated in the cell bodies and proximal segments of the dendrites in adults. These results suggest that the expression of hippocalcin mRNA and protein is strictly controlled by both the cell type and the developmental process and that hippocalcin plays a role in neuronal differentiation in the early stages of development and may relate to other neuronal function in the adult brain.

Animals↗

Regional variability in changes in 5-HT2A receptor mRNA levels in rat brain following irreversible inactivation with EEDQ.

In this study, the relationship between the expression of 5-HT2A receptors and level of 5-HT2A receptor mRNA in discrete regions of rat brain was examined by inactivating 5-HT2A receptors with the alkylating agent N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline (EEDQ; 10 mg/kg, i.p.) and measuring the time course of receptor recovery and changes in mRNA levels. In untreated controls, the distribution and levels of 5-HT2A receptors labeled with [3H]ketanserin and receptor mRNA labeled with a 230-base 33P-labeled riboprobe were found to be highly correlated in most sub-regions of the cortex, the caudate-putamen and the claustrum but not in the piriform cortex or the hippocampus. Administration of EEDQ produced 90-99% inactivation of 5-HT2A receptors and the rate of receptor recovery was uniform in most regions studied. 5-HT2A receptors in most regions reached control levels by day 14, the lone exception being the caudate-putamen where receptors reached only 56% of control by day 14. Following inactivation of receptors with EEDQ there was a transient increase in levels of 5-HT2A receptor mRNA in several regions. Although rates of receptor recovery were uniform, four distinct patterns of mRNA response were observed: (1) early elevation followed by late elevation, (2) early elevation only, (3) late elevation only, and (4) no detectable change. The absence of a direct relationship between changes in 5-HT2A receptor mRNA and 5-HT2A receptor recovery in this model system suggests that transcriptional regulation is not the mechanism controlling the recovery of these receptors after irreversible inactivation. This study also lends support to the idea that alternative mechanisms may play a role in 5-HT2A receptor regulation after other pharmacological and physiological manipulations. The regional variability in 5-HT2A mRNA regulation reported here highlights the importance of using techniques with a high level of anatomical resolution to study changes in 5-HT2A receptor mRNA levels.

Animals↗

A survey of the cerebral regionalization and ontogeny of eight exo- and endopeptidases in murines.

We have established the cerebral regionalization and ontogeny of eight exo- and endopeptidases in murines. Aminopeptidases A, B, and M, post-proline dipeptidylaminopeptidase (DAP IV), and proline endopeptidase displayed a rather homogenous distribution within the brain regions with a three- to fourfold factor between the poorest and richest areas. Aminopeptidases M and B appeared maximal in the parietal cortex and nucleus accumbens, respectively, while proline endopeptidase was abundant in the piriform cortex. By contrast with the peptidases exhibiting a rather homogenous distribution, endopeptidase 24.11, angiotensin-converting enzyme, and, to a lesser extent, endopeptidase 24.15 appeared located in much more discrete cerebral zones. Angiotensin-converting enzyme activity was mainly restricted to the nigro-striatal axis. Such feature also stands for endopeptidase 24.11, which was also detected in additional zones corresponding to the globus pallidus and the nucleus accumbens. Endopeptidase 24.15 activity was maximal in the nucleus accumbens and particularly weak in the mamillary body. Neuropeptidases appeared differently regulated during development of mouse brain. Aminopeptidase M, DAP IV, and endopeptidase 24.15 were detected in utero, and their specific activities did not significantly vary until adulthood. Proline endopeptidase and endopeptidase 24.11 were detected in high quantity at day 9 before birth, then activity decreased until birth. Then, proline endopeptidase augmented and plateaued between day 3 and day 10, while endopeptidase 24.11 remained constant at a relatively low level. Finally, angiotensin-converting enzyme was virtually undetectable at early stages before parturition, then slightly increased after birth. The possibility that distinct cerebral regionalization and ontogeny of peptides could directly influence peptide physiology and/or reflect additional functions of the peptidases besides peptide degradation is discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Systemic injection of kainic acid: gliosis in olfactory and limbic brain regions quantified with [3H]PK 11195 binding autoradiography.

Neurodegenerative diseases may result from excessive stimulation of excitatory amino acid receptors by endogenous ligands. Because neuronal degeneration is associated with glial proliferation and hypertrophy, the degenerative changes throughout rat brain following the systemic administration of kainic acid (12 mg/kg) were mapped with quantitative autoradiography of [3H]PK 11195. This radioligand binds to a mitochondrial benzodiazepine binding site (MBBS) on microglia and astrocytes. Analysis of eight horizontal and four coronal brain levels revealed up to 16-fold increases in [3H]PK 11195 binding from 1 to 5 weeks but not 1 day after kainate injection. Increases in [3H]PK 11195 binding were predominantly in ventral limbic brain regions and olfactory projections to neocortical areas, with the olfactory cortex greater than subiculum/CA1 greater than anterior olfactory nucleus, medial thalamic nucleus, and piriform cortex greater than cingulate cortex and rostral hippocampus greater than dentate gyrus, septum, and amygdala greater than entorhinal cortex and temporal cortex. Little or no enhancement of [3H]PK 11195 binding was observed in numerous regions including the caudate-putamen, substantia nigra, nucleus accumbens, olfactory tubercle, cerebellum, thalamic nuclei, choroid plexus, medulla, parietal or occipital cortex, or pons. A 2-fold greater extent of neurodegeneration was obtained in ventral portions of the olfactory bulb, entorhinal cortex, temporal cortex, and dentate gyrus compared with the dorsal portions of these structures. The pattern of increase in [3H]PK 11195 binding closely matched the patterns of neuronal degeneration reported following parenteral kainate injection. These findings strengthen the notion that quantitative autoradiography of [3H]PK 11195 is a valuable tool to quantify the extent of neuronal degeneration. Furthermore, the quantitative changes in [3H]PK 11195 binding in different limbic structures parallel their relative variation in neuropathology observed in Alzheimer's disease but not Huntington's chorea. These findings are in agreement with the idea that excessive stimulation of excitatory amino receptors may contribute to the etiology of Alzheimer's disease.

Animals↗

Enhanced odor discrimination and impaired olfactory memory by spatially controlled switch of AMPA receptors.

Genetic perturbations of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate receptors (AMPARs) are widely used to dissect molecular mechanisms of sensory coding, learning, and memory. In this study, we investigated the role of Ca2+-permeable AMPARs in olfactory behavior. AMPAR modification was obtained by depletion of the GluR-B subunit or expression of unedited GluR-B(Q), both leading to increased Ca2+ permeability of AMPARs. Mice with this functional AMPAR switch, specifically in forebrain, showed enhanced olfactory discrimination and more rapid learning in a go/no-go operant conditioning task. Olfactory memory, however, was dramatically impaired. GluR-B depletion in forebrain was ectopically variable ("mosaic") among individuals and strongly correlated with decreased olfactory memory in hippocampus and cortex. Accordingly, memory was rescued by transgenic GluR-B expression restricted to piriform cortex and hippocampus, while enhanced odor discrimination was independent of both GluR-B variability and transgenic GluR-B expression. Thus, correlated differences in behavior and levels of GluR-B expression allowed a mechanistic and spatial dissection of olfactory learning, discrimination, and memory capabilities.

Animals↗

Functional magnetic resonance imaging of human olfaction.

Olfaction is our basic sense phylogenetically and embryologically. Little is known, however, about how the human brain encodes the quality of odors, odor-associated memories, and emotions. Olfactory information is projected from the olfactory bulb to the primary olfactory cortex, which is composed of the anterior olfactory nucleus, the olfactory tubercle, the piriform cortex, the amygdala, the periamygdaloid region, and the entorhinal cortex. From there, the primary olfactory cortex projects to secondary olfactory regions including the hippocampus, ventral striatum and pallidum, hypothalamus, thalamus, orbitofrontal cortex, agranular insular cortex, and cingulate gyrus. Functional MR studies using olfactory stimuli as paradigms show activation of many of these areas and can advance our understanding of odor perception in humans.

Adult↗

Evolution of cerebral cortex involvement in the acquisition of associative learning.

The presence of the c-Fos protein has been evidenced in the piriform cortex, subiculum, entorhinal and perirhinal cortices, and parietal and occipital cortices at different stages (Sessions 2, 4, and 6) in the acquisition of a trace conditioning in behaving rabbits. c-Fos immunostaining was also measured after a reminder (7th) session. c-Fos immunoreactivity increased significantly across conditioning on the contralateral side of the piriform, entorhinal, perirhinal, and parietal cortices as compared with the ipsilateral side of conditioned animals and the contralateral side of pseudo-conditioned ones. No difference in c-Fos immunostaining was observed between contra- and ipsilateral sides in the subiculum of conditioned animals. c-Fos production decreased significantly across conditioning but presented a noticeable bilateral increase after the reminder session in the piriform, entorhinal, perirhinal, and parietal cortices, but not in the subiculum. Peak production of c-Fos was observed after the 2nd and 7th (reminder) conditioning sessions for the piriform, entorhinal, perirhinal, and parietal cortices, and after the 4th session for the subiculum. It is proposed that different cortical areas process associative learning with different strengths and side dominances.

Animals↗

Stereological analysis of forebrain regions in kainate-treated epileptic rats.

Patients and models of temporal lobe epilepsy display neuron loss in the hippocampal formation, but neuropathological changes also occur in other forebrain regions. We sought to evaluate the specificity and extent of volume loss of the major forebrain regions in epileptic rats months after kainate-induced status epilepticus. In systematic series of Nissl-stained sections, the areas of major forebrain regions were measured, and volumes were estimated using the Cavalieri principle. In some regions, the optical fractionator method was used to estimate neuron numbers. Most kainate-treated rats showed significant volume loss in the amygdala, olfactory cortex, and septal region, but others displayed different patterns, with significant loss only in the hippocampus or thalamus, for example. Average volume loss was most severe in the amygdala and olfactory cortex (82-83% of controls), especially the caudal parts of both regions. In the piriform cortex (including the endopiriform nucleus) of epileptic rats, an average of approximately one-third of Nissl-stained neurons and one-third of the GABAergic interneurons labeled by in situ hybridization for GAD67 mRNA were lost, and the extent of neuron loss was correlated with the extent of volume loss. Volumetric analysis of major forebrain regions was insensitive to specific neuron loss in subregions such as layer III of the entorhinal cortex and the hilus of the dentate gyrus. These findings provide quantitative evidence that kainate-treated rats tend to display extensive neuron and volume loss in the amygdala and olfactory cortex, although the patterns and extent of loss in forebrain regions vary considerably among individuals. In this status epilepticus-based model, extrahippocampal damage appears to be more extensive and hippocampal damage appears to be less extensive than that reported for patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.

Analysis of Variance↗

Dopamine has bidirectional effects on synaptic responses to cortical inputs in layer II of the lateral entorhinal cortex.

Dopaminergic modulation of neuronal function has been extensively studied in the prefrontal cortex, but much less is known about its effects on glutamate-mediated synaptic transmission in the entorhinal cortex. The mesocortical dopamine system innervates the superficial layers of the lateral entorhinal cortex and may therefore modulate sensory inputs to this area. In awake rats, systemic administration of the dopamine reuptake inhibitor GBR12909 (10 mg/kg, ip) enhanced extracellular dopamine levels in the entorhinal cortex and significantly facilitated field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) in layer II evoked by piriform cortex stimulation. An analysis of the receptor subtypes involved in the facilitation of evoked fEPSPs was conducted using horizontal slices of lateral entorhinal cortex in vitro. The effects of 15-min bath application of dopamine on synaptic responses were bidirectional and concentration dependent. Synaptic responses were enhanced by 10 microM dopamine and suppressed by concentrations of 50 and 100 microM. The D(1)-receptor antagonist SCH23390 (50 microM) blocked the significant facilitation of synaptic responses induced by 10 microM dopamine and the D(2)-receptor antagonist sulpiride (50 microM) prevented the suppression of fEPSPs observed with higher concentrations of dopamine. We propose here that dopamine release in the lateral entorhinal cortex, acting through D(1) receptors, can lead to an enhancement of the salience of sensory representations carried to this region from adjacent sensory cortices.

Animals↗

Distribution of the piriform cortical terminals to cells in the central segment of the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus of the rat.

A Golgi electron microscopic study was undertaken to investigate the distribution of terminals from the piriform cortex that synapse on identified dendrites of neurons in the central segment of the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus of the rat. The piriform cortical terminals were identified as degenerating terminals following lesions in the cortex. They consisted of two types, i.e., large (LR type) and small (SR type) presynaptic terminals, both of which had round synaptic vesicles and formed asymmetric synaptic contacts. SR boutons terminated preferentially onto distal dendrites and never synapsed on primary dendrites. LR terminals synapsed preferentially on proximal dendrites, but were also found on more distal dendritic segments.

Animals↗

Distribution of the neurons containing inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase and its messenger RNA in the developing rat brain.

As a result of its interaction with a specific receptor, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) mobilizes intracellular calcium. The metabolism of InsP3 is rather complex: InsP3 3-kinase produces Inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate (InsP4), a putative second messenger also involved in the intraneuronal calcium homeostasis. The distribution of the messenger RNA coding for the recently cloned InsP3 3-kinase was studied in the developing rat brain by using oligonucleotides derived from the rat cDNA sequence and in situ hybridization combined with Northern blot analysis. In addition, the locations of the enzyme were determined by immunohistochemistry in combination with Western blot analysis. By Northern blot and Western blot analyses on rat brain, the kinase was not detected in the embryo, was first found slightly at birth, and reached adult levels around 2-3 postnatal weeks. These findings were confirmed in the different positive regions by in situ hybridization conducted at the macroscopic level. At the cellular level, the mRNA was found exclusively in the neuronal populations previously demonstrated in the adult. The levels of transcripts per neuron were however higher in the adult than in the neonate brain. The enzyme mRNA could be detected first at postnatal day 0, (birth, P0) in the perikarya of the cerebellar Purkinje cells, followed at P4 by the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells and granule cells of the dentate gyrus and finally, at P9, by a majority of the neurons in the cortical layers II-III and V, especially in the frontal cortex and cingulate cortex; claustrum; caudate, putamen, accumbens, olfactory tubercle and calleja islets; anterior olfactory nucleus; taenia tecta; piriform piriform cortex; dorsolateral septum; bed nucleus stria terminalis; amygdala; hippocampal CA2-4 sectors and subiculum. By immunohistochemistry, the enzyme was initially found in the periphery of the cell bodies of the neonatal neurons; was progressively enriched in the developing dendritic arborization during the first postnatal weeks where it remained exclusively localized in the adult. In conclusion, in the developing brain, InsP3 3-kinase was first detected at birth, and thereafter its concentrations increased to reach adult levels around 2-3 postnatal weeks. At the cellular level, the kinase was exclusively found in the neurons. The small amounts of transcripts found per neuron in the neonate increase during synaptogenesis and the protein became progressively enriched in the developing dendritic arborization, where it is localized in the adult.

Animals↗

Increased potency and binding of mazindol to putative brain anorectic receptors in obesity-prone rats.

A class of sodium-sensitive, low affinity binding sites in the brain recognizes [3H]mazindol (MAZ). Competition for [3H]MAZ binding at these sites correlates with the anorectic potency of various phenethylamine drugs suggesting that these might be anorectic binding sites. Here [3H]MAZ binding, in the absence of sodium, was assessed by quantitative receptor autoradiography in rat brain. Binding was saturable, widespread and heterogenous with Kd = 3-229 microM and Bmax = 0.64-21.9 nmol/mg protein in various brain areas. By saturation studies, highest binding was in the somatosensory cortex, central amygdalar nucleus and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Hypothalamic subnuclei had intermediate and the piriform cortex had low binding. Rats were identified as prone to develop (DIO-prone) or resist (DR-prone) diet-induced obesity by their low vs. high 24 h urine norepinephrine excretion, respectively. While similar in body weight and basal 30 min intake of 4% sucrose, DIO-prone rats had 28% greater inhibition of sucrose intake by 3 mg/kg MAZ, i.p. (86 +/- 5%) than DR-prone rats (67 +/- 6%; P = 0.05). DIO-prone rats also had 23-55% higher levels of 10 nM [3H]MAZ binding in various hypothalamic and amygdalar nuclei, the somatosensory, piriform and gustatory cortices and thalamus. Given their greater sensitivity the highest dose of MAZ used and their higher binding of MAZ to putative brain anorectic receptors, DIO-prone rats might have a deficiency of an endogenous satiety factor which could predispose them to develop obesity when challenged with high energy, high sucrose diets.

Amygdala↗

Comparison of neuronal inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase and receptor mRNA distributions in the adult rat brain using in situ hybridization histochemistry.

As a result of its interaction with a specific receptor, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate mobilizes intracellular calcium. The metabolism of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate is rather complex: inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase produces inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate, a putative second messenger. In order to elucidate inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate function, a comparative in situ hybridization study of the distributions of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase and receptor mRNAs was performed in the adult rat brain using oligonucleotides derived from their cDNA sequences. The neuronal distributions of the mRNA for the receptor were larger than for the kinase. Highest levels of both mRNAs were found in the cerebellar Purkinje cells, where they were enriched in their neuronal perikarya and to a lesser extent in their dendrites. In addition to the cerebellum, mRNAs were mainly detected in the hippocampal pyramidal cells of the CA1 sector of the Ammon's horn and in the granule cells of the dentate gyrus, and also in a majority of the neurons in the cortical layers II-III and V, especially in the frontal cortex and cingulate cortex; caudate-putamen, accumbens, olfactory tubercle and Calleja islets; claustrum; anterior olfactory nucleus; taenia tecta; piriform cortex; dorsolateral septum; bed nucleus stria terminalis; amygdala; hippocampal CA2-4 sectors and subiculum. The inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor mRNA but not kinase mRNA was found in a majority of the neurons in the thalamus, especially in the parafascicular nucleus; hypothalamus, especially the medial hypothalamus; substantia nigra pars compacta and ventral tegmental area; superior colliculus; lateral interpeduncular nucleus and central gray. Taking into account the limitation in sensitivity of the technique, both mRNAs were not detected in glial cells and in the olfactory bulb; basal nucleus of Meynert, diagonal band nuclei; medial septal nucleus; substantia innominata; globus pallidus; entopeduncular nucleus; substantia nigra pars reticulata; ventral pallidum; subthalamic nucleus; spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia. In conclusion, cerebellum and hippocampus appear to contain almost similar levels of kinase mRNA. This is in contrast to receptor mRNA levels which were at much higher levels in the cerebellum when compared with the hippocampus. For this reason, we have chosen hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells and dentate gyrus granule cells for studying inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase function.

Animals↗

Differential increases in chromogranins, but not synapsin I, in cortical neurons following spreading depression: implications for functional roles and transmitter peptide release.

Experimental damage of cerebral cortex induces a slow-moving depolarization and subsequent depression of activity called cortical spreading depression (CSD) which is associated with various ionic, metabolic and genomic changes. Chromogranins are a family of water-soluble acidic proteins with a widespread distribution in secretory, large dense-core vesicles of neurons. We have earlier reported that secretogranin II (SgII) mRNA is increased in cerebral cortex hours after a unilateral craniotomy which would have induced CSD. To investigate further the regulation of chromogranin systems and the nature of genomic and biochemical changes produced by CSD, this study examined the temporal changes in chromogranin A (CgA), chromogranin B (CgB) and SgII mRNAs and CgB and SgII immunoreactivity (IR) in cerebral cortex and hippocampus following unilateral KCl-induced CSD. For comparison, the levels of mRNA for synapsin I, a protein present in small synaptic vesicles was also examined. Rats were killed at various times after 10 min or 2 h of CSD and levels of chromogranins mRNAs were determined by semiquantitative in situ hybridization histochemistry, while changes in corresponding peptide products were detected by immunohistochemistry. CSD increased both SgII and CgB mRNA levels in ipsilateral cortex--levels of SgII mRNA were significantly (P < 0.01) increased at 1-6 h after CSD (165-225% of levels in contralateral cortex), but were not significantly above control values at later time points. Increased expression of CgB mRNA was delayed and prolonged compared with SgII and was significantly (P < 0.05) increased between 3 and 24 h (120-145%) after CSD, peaked at 2 days (180%), and was still elevated at 1 week (130%) compared with contralateral cortex. No alteration in CgA mRNA was observed in the ipsilateral cortex of the same animals across the entire time-course except for an increase in piriform cortex at 1-2 days. In contrast, levels of synapsin I mRNA in affected cortex were identical to those in contralateral cortex and cortex in sham-operated rats, at all times after CSD. Levels of chromogranin (SN-IR and PE-11-IR) were also increased in ipsilateral cortex following CSD. A strong increase in SN-IR in neuronal cell bodies and fibres was observed at 12 h and a moderate increase in PE-11-IR was observed 24-72 h after CSD. These results demonstrate that chromogranin transcripts and gene products are differentially regulated by neuronal depolarization/depression occurring during CSD and suggest that these chromogranin proteins may have differing functional roles in peptide transmitter release and distinct effects on neuronal function in rat brain.

Animals↗

Expression of c-fos, NGFI-A and secretogranin II mRNA in brain regions during initiation of cocaine self-administration in mice.

Intravenous cocaine self-administration in mice was studied to find correlates of the acquisition of cocaine-oriented operant behaviour in the expression of nerve growth factor-induced clone A (NGFI-A), c-fos and secretogranin II mRNAs. Yoked control animals, receiving cocaine passively, served as controls for the neurochemical effect of non-contingent cocaine infusion. Animals controlling their cocaine infusions did more nose-pokes during a 30-min trial than yoked controls and animals receiving only saline, indicating a reinforcing effect of cocaine. Compared with saline, an increase in c-fos mRNA in lateral and basolateral amygdala was found in active cocaine-receiving animals, and a decrease in yoked controls receiving cocaine. There is previous evidence for an involvement of the amygdala, particularly its basolateral part, in cocaine's effects on motivation. In caudate putamen, both contingent and non-contingent cocaine increased c-fos mRNA. Non-contingent cocaine infusions increased NGFI-A mRNA expression in the core of nucleus accumbens, medial caudate putamen and frontal cortex, whereas self-administration eliminated these effects. In the core of the nucleus accumbens and piriform cortex there was increased, and in medial amygdala decreased secretogranin II mRNA in yoked controls compared with saline controls. In contrast, in basomedial and central nuclei of amygdala, increased secretogranin II mRNA was found in self-administering mice. Previous studies measuring gene expression after cocaine administration obviously did not give the complete picture of changes in gene expression in the drug-taking organism. As differences in c-fos and secretogranin II mRNA between active mice and yoked controls were robust, measuring these mRNAs may identify neurons selectively involved in acquisition of cocaine-taking behaviour.

Amygdala↗

Basal telencephalic origins of the anterior commissure of the rat.

The cells of origin of the three limbs of the rat's anterior commissure (AC) have been identified by horseradish peroxidase histochemistry. Following transection of the corpus callosum and hippocampal commissure, rats were subjected to multiple, unilateral injections of horseradish peroxidase throughout one cerebral hemisphere. The cells of origin of the rat's AC are found in the anterior olfactory nucleus, the olfactory tubercles, the anterior piriform cortex, the nucleus of the lateral olfactory tract, the lateral, basolateral, basomedial and cortical nuclei of the amygdala, the posterior perirhinal cortex, and the entorhinal cortex. Anterogradely labeled fibers were also found in the olfactory bulbs and in the plexiform layer of the anterior and posterior piriform cortices.

Amygdala↗

Implications of relaxation dynamics in the synaptic control of olfactory cortex activity.

In a previous work (Ballain et al., 1998. Biol. Cyber. 79, 323-336) we reported the analysis of a model for the piriform cortex activity in rats based on experimental data. In this paper, we study an extension of this model by supplementing it with equations for the post-synaptic conductance and/or the pre-synaptic activation threshold. We use the present model's outputs to account for experimental data based on paired stimulation in the opossum or the rat, obtained either through electrical recording or optical mapping of the cortex activity. The model exhibits great robustness when it comes to large variation in synaptic characteristics. Model outputs mimic satisfactorily the three kind of responses to paired stimuli (Litaudon and Cattarelli, 1996. Eur. J. Neurosci. 8, 21-29) and the recovery of the excitable capacities as demonstrated by Haberly (1973. J. Neurophysiol. 36 (4), 789-802) and Ferreyra-Moyano et al. (1985. Brain Res. Bull. 15, 237 248).

Animals↗