Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Pons”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 811 records · Page 45Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

EEG activity in cat's isolated brainstem.

Midbrain and pons were isolated together by two brainstem transections, at the junctions between midbrain and forebrain on one hand and the medulla and pons on the other hand. Low-voltage, high-frequency and high-voltage, low-frequency EEG activity were present in the isolated brainstem. This is in contrast to previous findings, showing that in the midbrain and pons separately isolated the EEG activity was greatly depressed, although accompanied by brisk single-unit spike activity. Thus, neural connections between pons and midbrain may lead to synchronization of single-unit activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Involvement of synaptosomal neurotransmitter amino acids in audiogenic seizure-susceptibility and -severity of Rb mice.

The involvement of synaptosomal neurotransmitter amino-acids in seizure susceptibility and seizure severity was explored. The amino-acid contents of brain synaptosomes were determined in three sublines of Rb mice differing in their response to an acoustic stimulus: Rb1, clonic-tonic seizure-prone, Rb2, clonic seizure-prone, and Rb3, seizure-resistant. Synaptosomes were prepared from 6 brain areas considered to be involved in seizure activity: olfactory bulbs, amygdala, inferior colliculus, hippocampus, cerebellum, pons-medulla. The steady-state levels of GABA and glycine (Gly), inhibitory amino-acids, of taurine (Tau), an inhibitory neurotransmitter of neuromodulator, of aspartate (Asp) and glutamate (Glu), excitatory amino-acids, as well as of serine (Ser) and glutamine (Gln), two precursors of neurotransmitter amino-acids, were determined by HPLC. Low levels of Tau, GABA, and Ser in hippocampus, Gly in amygdala, Glu in hippocampus, inferior colliculus and pons, Gln and Asp in inferior colliculus appeared to correlate with seizure-susceptibility. GABA and Asp in olfactory bulb, Gln in amygdala, hippocampus and pons, ser in olfactory bulb and pons, appeared to be associated either with seizure-severity or -diversity. A strong involvement of hippocampus (Tau, GABA, Ser, Glu, and Gln) and inferior colliculus (Asp, Glu, Gln) in audiogenic seizure-susceptibility, and of olfactory bulb (GABA, Asp) in seizure-severity and/or -diversity is suggested.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed1991

Effects of chronic manganese treatment on rat brain regional sodium-potassium-activated and magnesium-activated adenosine triphosphatase activities during development.

The effects of chronic manganese (Mn) treatments (1 and 10 mg MnCl2.4H2O per ml of drinking water) from conception onwards on brain regional development of sodium-potassium-activated and magnesium-activated adenosine triphosphatases (Na-K-ATPase and Mg-ATPase) were studied. The activities of these enzymes were determined in hypothalamus, cerebellum, pons and medulla, striatum, midbrain and cerebral cortex (which included the hippocampus) of Mn-treated and age-matched control rats at 5 postnatal ages. Both ATPase activities doubled in most brain regions between day 5 and day 20 postnatal. In pons and medulla, striatum, midbrain, and cerebral cortex, adult levels of both enzymatic activities were attained by day 20 postnatal. Na-K-ATPase activities transiently increased in the midbrain (+25%) at day 12 with the lower Mn dose and in the cerebral cortex (+31%) at day 20 with the higher Mn dose. With the higher Mn dose only, Mg-ATPase activities were increased in the hypothalamus (+20%) at day 12 and in the pons and medulla (+22%) at day 20 but were decreased in the pons and medulla (-20%) at day 60. Thus, only transient changes in enzymatic activities were observed despite dose-dependent increases in the brain levels of Mn resulting from the Mn treatment. A hypothesis regarding the role of early but transient changes in brain metabolism in the pathogenesis of the initial psychotic symptoms in Mn intoxication was proposed and discussed in relation to several other observations of a similar nature.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1990

Alterations in the metabolism of serotonin and dopamine in the central nervous system of mice displaying a persistent dyskinesia due to crotononitrile or 2-pentenenitrile.

The effect of crotononitrile (4.22 mmol/kg, CRN) or 2-pentenenitrile (2.00 mmol/kg, 2-PN), which exhibit long-term dyskinesia, was examined on the metabolism of serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) in five brain regions of mice 1, 5, 12 and 35 days after dosing with CRN or 2-PN or vehicle (0.1 ml/25 g). One day after injection, CRN increased the level of the following substances and the ratio of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA)/5-HT: 5-HT in medulla oblongata plus pons (144% of control); 5-HIAA in cortex (162%), striatum (166%), medulla oblongata plus pons (212%), hypothalamus (146%) and mid-brain (167%); 5-HIAA/5-HT in medulla oblongata plus pons (148%) and midbrain (133%). The changes caused by 2-PN were as follows: DA levels in cortex (176% of control, 35 days after dosing); HVA levels in striatum (136%, 1 day); 5-HT levels in hypothalamus (141%, 35 days); 5-HIAA levels in striatum (150%, 1 day), medulla oblongata plus pons (159%, 1 day) and midbrain (146%, 1 day); 5-HIAA/5-HT in striatum (153%, 1 day) and midbrain (134%, 1 day). The results suggest that changes in the 5-HT system are involved in the appearance of the dyskinetic syndrome which was seen in mice 1-2 days after dosing with CRN or 2-PN.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Visual event-related potential changes in two subtypes of multiple system atrophy, MSA-C and MSA-P.

We investigated the visual event-related potentials (ERPs) in two subtypes of multisystem atrophy (MSA) in 15 MSA-C patients, 12 MSA-P patients, and 21 normal control (NC) subjects. We used a visual oddball task to elicit ERPs. No significant changes were seen in N1 or N2 latency, in either MSA-C or MSA-P, compared with the NC group. An early stage of visual information process related to N1 and a visual discrimination process related to N2 might be preserved in both MSA-C and MSA-P. The P3a peak was more frequently undetectable in MSA than in the NC group. Significant P3a amplitude reduction in both MSA-C and MSA-P suggests impairment of the automatic cognitive processing in both MSA-C and MSA-P. Significant difference was found in P3b latency and P3b amplitude only in MSA-C, compared with the NC group. The result suggests the impairment of the controlled cognitive processing after the visual discrimination process in the MSA-C group. We further investigated the correlation between visual ERP changes and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. Quantitative MRI measurements showed reduced size of the pons, cerebellum, perisylvian cerebral area, and deep cerebral gray matter in both MSA-C and MSA-P, and of the corpus callosum only in MSA-P, as compared to NC group. In both MSA-C and MSA-P, P3b latency was significantly correlated with the size on MRI of the pons and the cerebellum. P3b latency in the whole MSA group was also significantly correlated with the size of the pons and the cerebellum. These results indicate that P3b latency changes in parallel with the volume of the pons and the cerebellum in both MSA-C and MSA-P.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Paraoxonase, anti-oxidant response and oxidative stress in children with chronic renal failure.

Increased oxidative stress is believed to contribute to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in uraemia. In children with chronic renal failure (CRF), an anti-oxidant enzyme, paraoxonase (PON), that inhibits oxidation of LDL-cholesterol, has not been previously investigated. In this study we aimed to investigate PON activity, total anti-oxidant response (TAR), total peroxide (TPX), oxidative stress index (OSI) and some pro-oxidant cytokines in 29 children with CRF [mean age 10.2+/-3.5 years; 19 pre-dialysis, ten on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD)] and in 25 control subjects. Children with CRF had lower PON and TAR and higher TPX and OSI values than did controls (P<0.05). Except for lower TAR and serum albumin levels of the CAPD subgroup (P<0.05), other parameters were similar in non-dialysis and CAPD patients (P>0.05). Patients had significant positive correlation between TAR and serum albumin (P<0.05). Serum urea had significant positive correlation with TPX and OSI (P<0.05). Increased oxidative stress and decreased anti-oxidants measured by serum PON activity and TAR were found in children with CRF. We can hypothesize, on the basis of statistical correlations, that low levels of serum albumin and high levels of uraemic metabolites might be responsible for increased oxidative stress in children with CRF. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to verify these results.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed1979

Regional development of norepinephrine, dopamine-beta-hydroxylase and tyrosine hydroxylase in the rat brain subsequent to neonatal treatment with subcutaneous 6-hydroxydopamine.

Neonatal rats were injected subcutaneously with 100 mg/kg 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), or vehicle, on postnatal days 1, 2 and 3. At several times thereafter, determinations of tyrosine hydroxylase (TOH) and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) activities, and norepinephrine (NE) concentration were made in the parietal cortex, cerebellum and pons-medulla in order to assess the extent of initial noradrenergic degeneration induced, and the rate of any ensuing regeneration. By the day following completion of the treatment (postnatal day 4), degeneration of noradrenergic terminals in the parietal cortex and cerebellum was very extensive, with NE levels and DBH activities reduced by more than 80%, and TOH activities reduced by 50%. In the parietal cortex noradrenergic degeneration remained virtually complete; and 9 and 70 days postnatal NE concentration and DBH and TOH activities were all decreased by more than 90--95%. In the cerebellum a progressive regeneration and apparent sprouting of NE fibers was observed. By postnatal day 9, NE, DBH and TOH in this tissue had all recovered to near control levels, and by day 70 these measures exceeded control levels by 95%, 115% and 50% respectively. In the pons-medulla, the initial effect of 6-OHDA on any of the measured parameters was negligible. By postnatal day 9 an increase in NE concentration was apparent, which increased further by day 70 to surpass the control level by 70%. At this same time DBH activity was increased by only 15% and TOH activity was unchanged. Separate analysis of the rostral half of the pons, which contains the locus coeruleus, revealed that on day 70 NE and DBH levels were increased much more substantially than in the whole pons-medulla, and TOH activity was also significantly elevated. This data indicates that the initial amount of degeneration induced by the 6-OHDA treatment is similar in both the parietal cortex and cerebellum, but regeneration proceeds only in the cerebellum. This suggests that noradrenergic fiber growth and regeneration in each target tissue is under independent regulation, possibly by the individual target neurons themselves.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Regional responses of rat brain muscarinic cholinergic receptors to immobilization stress.

The effect of immobilization stress (IM-stress) on the muscarinic cholinergic (m-Ch) receptor binding was determined in 8 brain regions using [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB). IM-stress produced an increase in specific QNB binding in the septum, striatum, hippocampus and pons + medulla oblongata. Scatchard analysis revealed that IM-stress produced an increase in the affinity of m-Ch receptors in the septum, hippocampus and pons + medulla oblongata, but did not alter the maximum number of binding sites (Bmax). In the striatum, an increase in specific QNB binding was due to both the increase in Bmax and reduction of the dissociation constant (Kd). The present study suggests that IM-stress induces supersensitivity of postsynaptic m-Ch receptors probably due to a decrease in presynaptic cholinergic activities in the septum, striatum, hippocampus and pons + medulla oblongata. As the m-Ch receptors in the striatum and pons + medulla oblongata are affected by IM-stress, further studies of the m-Ch neural system must be performed under stressful situations in these regions as well as in the septum, hippocampus and cerebral cortex.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Beta-endorphin and methionine-enkephalin levels in discrete brain regions, spinal cord, pituitary gland and plasma of morphine tolerant-dependent and abstinent rats.

The effect of morphine tolerance-dependence, protracted and naloxone-precipitated abstinence on the levels of beta-endorphin and methionine-enkephalin in discrete brain regions, spinal cord, pituitary gland and plasma was determined in the male Sprague-Dawley rats. Among the brain regions examined, the levels of beta-endorphin in descending order were: hypothalamus, amygdala, midbrain, hippocampus corpus striatum, pons and medulla and cortex. The levels of beta-endorphin in midbrain, hypothalamus, and pituitary of morphine tolerant-dependent rats were decreased significantly. During protracted withdrawal beta-endorphin levels were decreased in amygdala, spinal cord and pituitary. During naloxone-precipitated abstinence beta-endorphin levels were increased in corpus striatum, midbrain and cortex. In addition, in naloxone-precipitated abstinence beta-endorphin levels were decreased in pituitary gland and hippocampus but increased in plasma. The levels of methionine-enkephalin in brain regions in decreasing order were: corpus striatum, pons and medulla, amygdala, hypothalamus, midbrain, hippocampus and cortex. The levels of methionine-enkephalin in pons and medulla, amygdala, hippocampus and pituitary gland were decreased in morphine tolerant-dependent rats. During protracted abstinence from morphine, methionine-enkephalin levels in spinal cord, amygdala, pons and medulla, midbrain, cortex, corpus striatum and pituitary gland were decreased. The levels of methionine-enkephalin in hypothalamus and corpus striatum of naloxone-precipitated abstinent rats were increased but were decreased in amygdala and pituitary gland. These results suggest that during morphine tolerance-dependence and during protracted abstinence beta-endorphin and methionine-enkephalin levels in discrete brain regions and pituitary gland are decreased.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Metabolism of monoamines in the brain after total hepatectomy in the rat.

Rats were subjected to total hepatectomy or a sham operation and infused 5 h with 10% glucose solution. The metabolism of indoleamines and catecholamines was studied in five regions of the brain and two regions of the spinal cord by using a decarboxylase inhibitor (NSD 1015) blocking the conversion of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) to serotonin and DOPA to dopamine. In the brain the concentrations of 5-HTP, serotonin, and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were elevated in all regions compared with controls except for serotonin in the mesencephalon-pons. In the spinal cord the concentrations of 5-HIAA were elevated whereas the concentrations of 5-HTP and serotonin were unchanged. The concentrations of DOPA were increased in the mesencephalon-pons whereas those of norepinephrine were decreased in cortex and mesencephalon-pons compared with controls. The results suggest an increased synthesis rate of the indoleamines in the brain and probably also of the catecholamines in the mesencephalon-pons at 5 h after hepatectomy.

5-Hydroxytryptophan↗
PubMed1990

Effect of pharmacological adrenalectomy on corticotropin-releasing factor-like and arginine vasotocin immunoreactivities in the brain and pituitary of the eel: immunocytochemical study.

Metopirone, a blocker of the 11 beta-hydroxylase, was used to suppress cortisol synthesis in the eel, producing a pharmacological adrenalectomy. After 1 and 2 days, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) immunoreactivity was reduced in the preoptic nucleus (PON) and was increased in the rostral neurohypophysis (NH) where CRF fibers ended in close proximity to ACTH cells. After 4 days, immunoreactive (ir) CRF increased in the PON or was similar to that of controls, and was reduced in the rostral NH. It was not affected in the caudal NH among intermediate lobe (IL) ramifications. Arginine vasotocin (AVT) immunostaining was often slightly increased in the PON, but changes were not apparent in the pituitary and AVT-ir fibers remained very scarce in the rostral NH. Metopirone significantly increased the cross-sectional area of CRF- and AVT-ir perikarya in the parvocellular region and the number of these perikarya as well as the ratio of CRF to AVT cell bodies in the totality of the PON. Colocalization of CRF and AVT, barely detected in control eels, occurred in 9.6% of CRF perikarya after 1-2 days, but in only 2.4% after 4 days. ACTH cells were rapidly and markedly stimulated. These immunocytochemical studies suggest that CRF synthesis, axonal transport, and release are increased in metopirone-treated eels, acting on the pituitary to stimulate ACTH release and interrenal cell activity. The participation of AVT in ACTH cell stimulation is less clear. These data are compared to those reported in mammals.

Adrenal Glands↗
PubMed1988

Monoamine metabolism and its responses to food deprivation in the brain of Zucker rats.

Monoamines and their metabolites levels were simultaneously measured by high-performance liquid chromatography in brain regions of lean and fatty Zucker rats when fed ad lib and deprived of food for 72 hr to evaluate each monoamine metabolism. Metabolite/monoamine ratios were shown for brevity to represent its metabolism. 3-Methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol/noradrenaline ratios were not affected by the phenotype factor but increased in the cortex of fatty rats and reduced in the midbrain of both phenotypes after fasting; the interaction between phenotype and feeding factors was observed in the cortex and hippocampus. 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid/dopamine ratios were increased in the cortex of deprived fatty rats and in the medulla-pons of ad lib-fed fatties compared with lean counterparts and also increased in the striatum of lean rats after food deprivation; the interaction was observed in the cortex, midbrain and medulla-pons. Homovanillic acid/dopamine ratios were decreased in the striatum of deprived fatty rats and in the midbrain and medulla-pons of fatty rats whether deprived or not, but the ratios were not significantly changed by fasting; the interaction was observed in the striatum. 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid/5-hydroxytryptamine ratios were reduced in the cortex, striatum and medulla-pons of fatty rats in both feeding states and in the midbrain of deprived fatties, and after food deprivation increased in the cortex and midbrain of lean rats and in the hippocampus of both phenotypes; the interaction was observed in the midbrain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Neurochemical correlates of behavior: levels of amino acids in four areas of the brain of the rat during drug-induced behavioral excitation.

The levels of GABA, aspartate, glutamate, glycine and alanine were determined in 4 specific brain areas (telencephalon, diencephalon-mesencephalon cerebellum and pons-medulla oblongata) of rats killed during a period of drug-induced behavioral excitation. Behavioral excitation was obtained in adult, male Wistar rats working on a Sidman shock-avoidance schedule following administration of 2 mg/kg tetrabenazine (TBZ) 18 hr after iproniazid (50 mg/kg) pretreatment. When compared to trained animals (working on the avoidance schedule but receiving no drugs), the excited rats had increased levels of GABA in the telencephalon and diencephalon-mesencephalon, decreased levels of aspartate in all 4 brain areas, and a lower content of glycine in the pons-medulla region. The changes in the levels of aspartate in all areas of the brain, GABA in the diencephalon-mesencephalon, and glycine in the pons-medulla were significantly correlated (p less than 0.01) with the degree of excitation. It was observed that avoidance training alone produced increases in the levels of four amino acids: aspartate in telencephalon and cerebellum, GABA in cerebellum, and glycine and glutamate in the pons-medulla. The injection of iproniazid alone or iproniazid followed by TBZ into naive animals had little effect on the levels of the five amino acids. The data are discussed in terms of aspartate and GABA interacting as neurotransmitters with cholinergic and catecholaminergic and/or serotonergic neurons to produced the behavioral excitation.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1985

Alteration of the neurochemical effects of fenfluramine by previous treatment with d-amphetamine.

It was found in an earlier study that a 15-day IP subacute d-amphetamine treatment rendered an apparent "tolerance" to the food intake suppressant effects of fenfluramine. The purpose of the present study was to determine if the neuronal substrate on which fenfluramine supposedly acts to produce a decrement in food consumption was altered by the previous treatment with d-amphetamine. The time course effects (0-90 min) of a single IP injection of 10 mg/kg fenfluramine on brain monoamines in saline-treated rats included a significant lowering of serotonin in all brain regions examined. Although the serotonin depleting actions of fenfluramine in the d-amphetamine-treated rats generally paralleled those seen in the saline group (i.e., as in the hypothalamus), no such effects were noted in regions where baseline values (see below) were already lowered by d-amphetamine treatment (i.e., pons-medulla, thalamus, and substantia nigra). Norepinephrine and dopamine depletions were observed in the pons-medulla and hypothalamic areas after fenfluramine administration in the saline-treated rats, but fenfluramine caused no decreases in hypothalamic dopamine or in pons-medulla and hypothalamic norepinephrine content in rats previously treated with d-amphetamine. Analysis of the baseline amine levels (i.e., values in the d-amphetamine and saline-treated rats before fenfluramine was given) indicated that the repeated d-amphetamine treatment generally lowered norepinephrine in most brain regions, serotonin in the pons-medulla, substantia nigra and thalamus, and dopamine in the striatum.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Co-localization of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and neuropeptide Y immunoreactivities in the nerve fibers of the rat adrenal gland.

The co-localization of Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide (VIP) with Neuropeptide Y (NPY) or its C-flanking peptide (C-PON) was investigated with immunocytochemistry methods in the adrenal gland of the rat. Most of the VIP immunoreactive (+) nerve fibers found in the capsule/glomerular zone also exhibited NPY or C-PON immunoreactivity (IR). We found that at least two populations of VIP varicose nerve fibers can be observed, the most prevalent exhibited both VIP/NPY or VIP/C-PON IR and the other which was rather scarce lacked NPY or C-PON IR. In the superficial cortex VIP/NPY or VIP/C-PON IR nerve fibers were often associated with capsular or subcapsular vascularization and extended into the zona glomerulosa. In the deeper layers of the adrenal cortex radial fibers were closely associated with the inner vascularization of the zona fasciculata and reticularis. In the adrenal medulla NPY or C-PON immunoreactivity was associated with ganglion neurons as well as chromaffin cells; these last cells were always VIP (-). VIP and NPY/C-PON IR could be co-localized in catecholaminergic nerve terminals of the adrenal cortex but not in the adrenal medulla.

Adrenal Glands↗
PubMed1995

The nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-like immunoreactive extrahypophysial projections of the neurosecretory preoptic nucleus of the electric ray (elasmobranchs) suggest a neuroregulatory role for this nucleus.

The extrahypohysial projections of the neurosecretory preoptic nucleus (PON) of the electric ray were studied with the aid of an antibody against nitric oxide synthase (NOS). PON neurons were the only NOS-like-immunoreactive (NOS-ir) cells in the brain. These neurons gave rise to both hypophysial and extrahypophysial NOS-ir projections. Some fibres coursed from the PON to the neurointermediate lobe in the preoptic-hypophysial tract. Other NOS-ir fibres coursed either rostrally or caudally forming terminal fields in the telencephalon (subpallial region), diencephalon (preoptic nucleus, ventrolateral thalamus and posterior recess nucleus), tuberal region (area tegmentalis ventralis and substantia nigra), mesencephalon (lateral tegmentum), rhombencephalon (isthmal nucleus, vagal viscerosensory column and ventrolateral reticular area) and the spinal cord (intermediate horn). The possible involvement of the extrahypophysial PON projections in neuroregulation of visceral centres is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Suppressing effects of neuroactive peptides on the inward current caused by achatin-I, an Achatina endogenous peptide.

1. Modulatory effects of the four molluscan neuroactive peptides. FMRFamide (Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2), APGW-amide (Ala-Pro-Gly-Trp-NH2), oxytocin and [SER2]-Mytilus inhibitory peptide ([SER2]-MIP) (Gly-Ser-Pro-Met-Phe-Val-NH2) were examined on the inward current (Iin) caused by achatin-I (Gly-D-Phe-Ala-Asp), which has been isolated from the Achatina ganglia. 2. Two Achatina giant neurone types, v-RCDN (ventral-right cerebral distinct neurone) and PON (periodically oscillating neurone), were used. Achatin-I was applied locally to the neurone tested by brief pneumatic pressure ejection, and the other molluscan neuroactive peptides were perfused around the ganglia. 3. FMRFamide, perfused at 3 microM, suppressed markedly the Iin elicited by the achatin-I of both v-RCDN and PON. APGW-amide at 3 microM also suppressed the Iin of v-RCDN, but did not affect that of PON. Oxytocin at 1 microM suppressed the Iin of PON, but did not affect that of v-RCDN. [Ser2]-MIP at 3 microM did not affect the Iin of v-RCDN. 4. The dose-response curves of FMRFamide, APGW-amide and oxytocin, indicated that their respective suppressive effects on the Iin of achatin-I were dose-dependent, and that APGW-amide was slightly more potent than the other peptides. The dose (pressure duration)-response curves of achatin-I (1 kg/cm2, 10(-3) M, 5 min interval), obtained by varying the duration of the achatin-I pressure ejection, were measured in the presence and absence of each of the three peptides.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Changes in the development of central noradrenaline neurons after neonatal axon lesions.

The effects of early surgical lesions of ascending noradrenaline (NA) axons and 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) induced NA denervation of the spinal cord on the postnatal development of central NA neurons of the rat have been studied using histo- and neurochemical techniques. The lesions were performed during the first week after birth and analyzed at the age of one or two weeks or in the adult stage. Complete unilateral hemisection at the mesencephalic level in the neonatal stage produced marked reductions of the 3H-NA uptake in vitro in the cerebral cortex with concomitant significant increases (+30-50%) of the uptake on the ipsilateral side of the pons-medulla when determined in adulthood. Partial unilateral hemisection, restricted to produce an axotomy of the dorsal NA bundle, led to almost complete NA depletions in the cerebral cortex, while significant NA elevations were found in the mesencephalon (+25-40%), pons-medulla (+15%) and cerebellum (+90%) on the ipsilateral side. In the latter region a significant NA increase (+50%) was also observed in the controlateral side. Regional analysis of the 3H-NA uptake after partial hemisection gave similar results. Intraspinal injection of 6-OHDA on the day of birth resulted consistently in marked NA depletions (-90% or more) in the spinal cord, while the effects on NA in the cerebral cortex varied, being either unaffected or markedly reduced. Animals with unaffected cerebral cortex disclosed a significant NA increase in the pons-medulla only, whereas animals with cortical NA denervation displayed significant increases in endogenous NA levels both in the pons-medulla and the cerebellum. The present results give further support for the "pruning effect" concept explaining the growth response that central NA neurons exhibit after neonatal 6-OHDA treatment systemically or when one axonal branch is damaged neonatally.

Animals↗