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Bombesin-induced behavioural changes: antagonism by neuroleptics.

Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered bombesin (BN) intracerebroventricularly (ICV), at a dose of 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, or 1.0 microgram, and the behavioural effects monitored longitudinally across time for up to 24 hr. Administration of BN significantly increased the locomotor, rearing and grooming activity at all doses. The time-course of behavioural activation was dose-related (lasting up to 2.5 hr). There was no significant difference in the behavioural response of rats receiving the BN doses in an ascending or descending order. To test the effects of dopamine receptor blockade on the BN-induced behavioural changes, groups of animals were treated with fluphenazine or haloperidol (0.1 to 2.5 mg/kg, IP) 30 min prior to BN (1 microgram, ICV) administration. The results revealed that the neuroleptics could effectively antagonize the BN-induced activation of locomotor, rearing and grooming activity. These data are concordant with the view that centrally administered BN stimulates spontaneous exploratory and grooming behaviours in rats, in a time- and dose-related manner. Furthermore, since neuroleptics block these effects, it remains possible that the BN-induced behavioural changes may be mediated, at least in part, through the dopaminergic system(s).

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Behavioural, biochemical and histological effects of trimethyltin (TMT) induced brain damage in the rat.

To assess the nature and extent of behavioural, biochemical and histological changes induced by trimethyltin (TMT), rats were treated with a single injection of TMT over a dose range of 6, 7 and 8 mg/kg i.p. Behavioural observations were performed at a minimum of 21 days after the administration of TMT. The behavioural consequences of TMT were hyperactivity in the open-field test, increased locomotor activity and deficits in passive and active avoidance behaviour, T-maze alternation and Morris Water Maze behaviour. The behavioural changes were dose dependent and were accompanied by a degree of pathological damage to the hippocampal pyramidal cells which was particularly apparent at the highest dose. The main biochemical effects of TMT involved deficits in the serotonergic and GABA-ergic systems and a decrease in M1 and M2 binding sites in the hippocampus. These results suggest that the toxic interaction of TMT with the hippocampus and other limbic brain regions may be responsible for its effect on learning and memory.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Factors associated with health behaviour among mothers of lower socio-economic status: a British example.

The Health and Lifestyle Survey is the first survey in the U.K. to compare with the databases available in North America. For the first time detailed information on the health status, beliefs, attitudes and behaviour of a representative sample of the British population is available to compare with the findings drawn from smaller locally based samples. Here the focus is on the factors associated with the performance of more low-risk health behaviours among mothers of low socio-economic status (social class IV and V), specifically on whether the findings from a South Wales survey could be generalised to the equivalent group in a national sample. The outcome measure used was the Health Practices Index, developed by the Alameda County Researchers. Seventeen factors were modelled, using multi-way analyses of variance, to produce a final set of statistically independent factors related to health behaviour. The most striking findings were the importance of the association between type of tenure and health behaviour in both the local and the national sample for this social class group; the lack of any association between education and health behaviour in the national sample; the failure, now well recognised, to find statistically independent associations between measures of attitudes/beliefs and health behaviour. Finally, the implications of the results are discussed in the light of recent and current trends in health education and promotion.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Potties, pits and pipes: explaining hygiene behaviour in Burkina Faso.

Stool disposal practices have been shown to be associated with childhood diarrhoea. However, efforts to promote improved hygiene behaviour are hampered by a lack of understanding of what determines those behaviours. Data from 2793 household interviews with mothers of children from the town of Bobo-Dioulasso in Burkina Faso were analyzed to examine what differentiated mothers who reported using safer stool disposal practices from those who did not. Three 'outcomes' were considered: where the child was reported to defaecate; where the mother reported disposing of the child stools; and whether excreta were observed in the compound. Regression models were developed to identify those factors with the strongest independent associations with the outcomes. There was a consistent association between the source of water and the outcomes. Mothers with access to a tap in the yard reported using safe hygiene practices three times more often than mothers using wells outside the compound and twice as often as mothers who used public standpipes or wells within the yard. The source of water showed a similar pattern of association with observations of faecal matter in the environment. Improved sources of water may contribute to safer stool hygiene by reducing the time spent on water collection or by encouraging mothers to conform to higher standards of hygiene. Other factors which played a role in predicting the hygiene behaviour of mothers were the husbands' occupation, the number of health education sessions that she had attended, her zone of residence and family ownership of certain valuable objects. These factors are likely to be related and to be, to some extent, proxies for the real determinants of her behaviour. A model of the cultural, psycho-social and infrastructural proximate determinants of hygiene behaviour is proposed. Data from focus group discussions suggested that the main purpose of hygienic behaviour is to conform to existing norms of social etiquette. Trials of interventions based on changing such norms are needed to test whether this is an effective means of promoting of safer hygiene practices.

Burkina Faso↗
PubMed1989

Effect of tricyclic antidepressant drugs in the isolation-induced social behavioural deficit test.

1. Mice were isolated for 7-9 days. An isolated mouse and a mouse reared in group show a difference in their behaviour when observed together under an inverted beaker. The isolated mouse makes one half escape attempts in regard to the grouped mouse. This is considered as a social behavioural deficit. 2. The effect of four tricyclic antidepressant drugs was tested on this social behavioural deficit. None of the following drugs acutely given: imipramine, desipramine, amitriptyline impaired the social behavioural deficit. Clomipramine reduced the deficit at the only dose of 2 mg/kg. The four antidepressants tended to increase the deficit at the high dose of 32 mg/kg but this may reflect a sedative effect. Chronic amitriptyline did not impair the social behavioural deficit. 3. It is concluded that acute and probably also chronic antidepressant treatments are without effect on the isolation induced social behavioural deficit test.

Amitriptyline↗
PubMed1995

Behavioural pharmacology of 'D-1-like' dopamine receptors: further subtyping, new pharmacological probes and interactions with 'D-2-like' receptors.

1. D-1 receptors are now recognised to play a critical psychopharmacological role in the regulation of unconditioned motor and numerous other aspects of behaviour. 2. There appears to exist a broad family of 'D-1-like' receptors in terms both of differential coupling to distinct messenger/transduction mechanisms and of gene cloning, whose behavioural roles remain to be clarified. 3. The adenylyl cyclase-inhibiting benzazepine SK&F 83959 induces behavioural responses in rats that are similar to those induced by the full efficacy cyclase-stimulating isochroman A 68930 but not to those induced by its high efficacy partial agonist benzazepine congener R-6-Br-APB; these data indicate roles for individual 'D-1-like' receptors in mediating distinct elements of dopaminergic behaviour. 4. The putative D-1 autoreceptor agonist B-HT 920 and the putative D-3 agonist 7-OH-DPAT demonstrate different behavioural profiles when given both alone and in combination with the selective 'D-1-like' antagonist BW 737C; D-3 receptors may participate in cooperative/synergistic but not in oppositional 'D-1-like': 'D-2-like' interactions. 5. Such interactions apparent at the level of behaviour are complemented by evidence for similar interactions at numerous alternative levels of function, though these may differ between rodent and primate species. 6. A broader range of more selective agonists and antagonists, able to distinguish between individual members of the 'D-1-like' and of the 'D-2-like' receptor families are needed to clarify these issues.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Stimulation of the nucleus paraventricularis thalami suppresses scratching and biting behaviour of arthritic rats and exerts a powerful effect on tests for acute pain.

In 20 arthritis-sensitive Wistar rats, an electrode was implanted in the paraventricular thalamic nucleus (PV). In the tail-flick and hot-plate test, PV was stimulated continuously for a period of 30 min, during which every 5 min either a tail-flick or hot-plate test was performed. Stimulation of PV induced important prolongations of the reaction times on tail-flick and hot-plate tests. However, there was no significant correlation between the results of the two tests. The effect of stimulation was immediate and did not outlast the stimulation period. PV stimulation did not give rise to tolerance, either within the stimulation period of 30 min, or during the successive testing days. After the termination of these acute pain tests, rats were inoculated with Mycobacterium butyricum. All animals developed polyarthritis. PV stimulation had a profound suppressive effect on the scratching and biting behaviour displayed by the animals. This reduction in scratching and biting behaviour was specific for PV stimulation since stimulation of another target, the ventrolateral thalamic nucleus (4 animals), had no effect on these behaviours. The attenuation of the scratching and biting behaviour was not a result of a general motor impairment, since other behaviours increased (running and sniffing) or did not change. There was no significant correlation between the results of scratching behaviour with those of the tail-flick and hot-plate test.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Effects of morphine, pentobarbital and amphetamine on formalin-induced behaviours in infant rats: sedation versus specific suppression of pain.

The behavioural response of infant rats to intraplantar injection of formalin consists of specific directed behaviours (limb flexion, shaking and licking the injected paw) and non-specific behaviours that are also induced by non-nociceptive stimulation (squirming, hind limb kicks and whole body jerks), with specific indicators becoming more frequent as pups mature. The present study examined the effects of systemic morphine, pentobarbital and D-amphetamine on formalin-induced behaviours and behavioural state in rat pups from 1 to 20 days of age. Morphine (1 mg/kg) almost completely suppressed both specific and non-specific indicators of pain, and produced mild sedation relative to handled control pups. Pentobarbital (10 mg/kg) produced a similar degree of sedation and suppression of non-specific measures as morphine, but only had weak effects on specific measures in pups less than 1 week old, and no effects thereafter. Suppression of both specific and non-specific pain measures after amphetamine (2 mg/kg) emerged during the 2nd week of life and was not associated with sedation. Thus, morphine produced behavioural analgesia in infant rats in a model of injury-induced inflammatory pain from the 1st postnatal day, when their neurological maturity is similar to a 25-week human fetus, and 1 week before antinociception is observed in thermal and pressure tests. The effects of morphine were qualitatively different from a sedative dose of pentobarbital. The data support the contention that opioids have specific analgesic effects in premature human neonates and underline the need for pain measures that discriminate between sedation and analgesia.

Amphetamine↗
PubMed1994

Behavioural pain-related disorders and contribution of the saphenous nerve in crush and chronic constriction injury of the rat sciatic nerve.

This study evaluated the pain-related behaviours induced by 2 models of peripheral sciatic nerve injuries in the rat: transient nerve crush and chronic constriction injury (CCI). Various lesions of the saphenous nerve were performed in order to investigate the role of saphenous innervation in behavioural disorders induced by these nerve injuries. Behavioural testing included assessment of responses to phasic stimulation (mechanical and thermal) and observation of 'spontaneous' pain-related behaviour. Results confirmed that the model of CCI induces marked and prolonged phasic and spontaneous pain-related disorders (up to week 7). Rats with crush injury exhibited moderate and transient hyperalgesia and allodynia to mechanical and thermal stimulation on the lesioned side (with a maximum at day 3 and a recovery by week 1). Section plus ligation of the ipsilateral saphenous nerve on the day of surgery prevented nociceptive behaviours and induced persistent mechanical and thermal anaesthesia or hypoesthesia of the lesioned paw in both models (lasting up to 3-4 weeks). Section without ligation of the saphenous nerve induced comparable results in rats with sciatic crush, but did not significantly modify nociceptive behaviours in rats with CCI. These data emphasise the role of adjacent saphenous nerve in the mechanisms of pain-related disorders induced by these peripheral nerve lesions. On the contralateral paw, pain-related modifications were also observed in both models, suggesting that unilateral nerve lesions induce remote modifications extending beyond the site of the injured nerve.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Complex avoidance behaviour and its neurochemical regulation in the land snail Cepaea nemoralis.

1. In hot plate experiments, the pulmonate land snail Cepaea nemoralis displays a biphasic passive/active avoidance behaviour composed of retraction and subsequent searching mediated by antagonistic muscular systems. The switch, between the behaviours, is under neuronal control. 2. Leu- and met-enkephalin, as well as FMRFamide-antiserum, attenuated the retraction response and potentiated the searching behaviour. Opposite effects were achieved by injection of antisera to the enkephalins. 3. Both retraction and searching behaviours were potentiated by 5-HT. Methysergide antagonized the effects of the enkephalins on the searching behaviour. 4. We conclude that endogenous opioids act antagonistic to FMRFamide in the neuronally controlled switch between passive and active avoidance behaviour.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Responses resembling defensive behaviour produced by microinjection of glutamate into superior colliculus of rats.

Electrical stimulation of the superior colliculus in rats elicits not only orienting movements, as it does in other mammals, but also behaviours resembling such natural defensive responses as prolonged freezing, cringing, shying, and fast running and jumping. To investigate the location of the cells mediating these behaviours, the superior colliculus was systematically mapped with microinjections of sodium L-glutamate (50 mM, 200 nl), and the resultant behavioural changes as assessed in an open field were analysed for defence-like responses. The main regions that gave defensive behaviour were (i) rostromedial superior colliculus (all layers), and (ii) both medial and lateral parts of the caudal deep layers. Cells in these areas project into the ipsilateral descending pathway. However, the cells of origin of this pathway are also found in collicular regions, such as rostral intermediate gray and parts of far caudal colliculus, that did not give defensive movements in response to glutamate stimulation. It is unclear whether this is because only parts of the ipsilateral pathway mediate defensive behaviours, or because glutamate is a relatively inefficient stimulating agent for these systems. An unexpected feature of the results was that at a number of collicular sites the nature of the defensive response changed with successive (up to three) injections of glutamate, often appearing to become more intense. Whether the mechanism underlying this potentiation is related to the conditioning of natural defensive behaviour is unknown.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

The effects of intrahippocampal raphe and/or septal grafts in rats with fimbria-fornix lesions depend on the origin of the grafted tissue and the behavioural task used.

Long-Evans female rats sustained electrolytic lesions of the fimbria and the dorsal fornix and, two weeks later, received intrahippocampal suspension grafts of fetal tissue. The grafts were prepared from regions including either the medial septum and the diagonal band of Broca (septal grafts), or the mesencephalic raphe (raphe grafts), or from both these regions together (co-grafts). All rats were submitted to a series of behavioural tests (home cage and open-field locomotion, spontaneous alternation, radial-arm maze and Morris water maze performance) run over two periods after grafting (one to nine weeks and 20-35 weeks). Two weeks after completion of behavioural testing, histological (acetylcholinesterase and Cresyl Violet staining) and/or neurochemical (choline acetyltransferase activity, high-affinity synaptosomal uptake of choline and serotonin, noradrenaline, serotonin and 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid concentrations) verifications were performed on the hippocampus. Compared to sham-operated rats, lesion-only rats exhibited hyperactivity which was transient in a familiar environment (home cage) and lasting in an unfamiliar one (open field), decreased rates of spontaneous T-maze alternation, and impaired memory performance in both the radial-arm maze and the Morris water maze. These rats also showed decreased cholinergic and serotonergic markers with a maximal depletion in the septal two-thirds of the hippocampus. Noradrenaline concentration tended to be increased in the dorsal third of the hippocampus, but was not modified in the other two-thirds. While septal grafts specifically increased the cholinergic markers and raphe grafts the serotonergic ones, neither of these grafts produced a lasting effect on any behavioural variable. Conversely, the co-grafts, which increased both the cholinergic and serotonergic markers in the septal two-thirds of the hippocampus, completely normalized the Morris water maze probe trial performance, but failed to affect any of the other behavioural variables. Our present results confirm that grafts of fetal neurons injected into the denervated hippocampus may induce a neurochemical recovery that depends on the anatomical origin of the grafted cells, and that co-grafting two fetal brain regions allows the combination of their individual neurochemical properties. Furthermore, our results show that these neurochemical effects of the co-grafts may be involved in the recovery of behavioural function observed in the water maze. However, somewhat paradoxically, those effects appear inefficient for inducing any recovery in other behavioural tasks, even in the radial-arm maze; which is assumed to measure similar spatial functions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Genital, olfactory, and endocrine interactions in the development of maternal behaviour in the parturient ewe.

This article reviews current understanding of the physiological control of maternal behaviour in parturient ewes. Estradiol is an important endocrine factor which stimulates maternal responsiveness, both in nonpregnant and in parturient ewes. However, its action depends on previous maternal experience, and other factors are also necessary for the rapid manifestation of maternal behaviour. Olfactory cues play a major role in the normal development of the mother-young relationship. Genital stimulation (GS) is a key factor influencing various aspects of maternal responsiveness in sheep. GS acts in synergy with peripheral hormones to induce the rapid onset of licking and immediate acceptance of a neonate at the udder in nonpregnant ewes. It also influences the attraction of amniotic fluid at parturition and reduces aggressive behaviour towards lambs. Deprivation of GS by peridural anesthesia disturbs maternal behaviour in parturient ewes, especially in primiparae. And, additional GS in postparturient ewes allows the formation of a new bond with an alien neonate in mothers which had already established a selective relationship with their own lambs. Some of these positive effects of GS are mediated through modifications of olfactory function (attraction of amniotic fluid, establishment of a selective bond), whereas this may not be the case for other effects (stimulation of licking, reduction of aggressive behaviour). Studies of the neural mechanisms involved will be necessary to specify the modes of action of GS. The first results suggest GS may act in at least two ways at the level of the brain. Stimulation of maternal behaviour could depend on the liberation of oxytocin within the brain, since intracerebroventricular injections of this hormone facilitate maternal responses. Also, GS can influence olfactory function through the activation of afferent noradrenergic pathways in the olfactory bulbs. Further studies need to be developed to specify the relationships between the various structures involved as well as the level at which estradiol exerts its facilitatory action.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Behavioural structure and mechanisms of anorexia: calibration of natural and abnormal inhibition of eating.

The study of experimentally induced anorexia poses a problem for investigations of the processes controlling food intake. Inhibition of food consumption may arise from a specific intervention in a physiological system controlling nutritional requirements or from non-specific changes leading to the suppression or contamination of behaviour. The present experiment used the analysis of the structure of behaviour to distinguish between normal anorexia (natural development of satiation) and pathological anorexia brought about by intestinal discomfort (injection of lithium chloride) or adulteration of food (quinine added to diet). The treatments produced marked changes in parameters of feeding and in the frequencies of behaviours associated with eating. Both lithium chloride and quinine treatments gave rise to a slow rate of eating accompanied by a disordered temporal sequence of eating, grooming and resting. This behavioural calibration of anorexia can contribute to the behavioural pharmacology of feeding by helping to diagnose drugs which facilitate normal processes of satiation and those which act via a non-specific disruption of behaviour.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Behavioural states and Doppler velocimetry of the renal artery in the near term human fetus.

Transition of fetal behavioural state 1F to 2F coincides with cardiovascular changes measured by Doppler velocimetry e.g. a decrease in pulsatility index (PI) in the internal carotid arteries and in the descending aorta, indicating redistribution of blood flow. Recently, we reported a considerable reduction in fetal urine production rate of 47% during fetal behavioural state 2F as compared to 1F. It was suggested that this reduction is caused by an increase in renal vascular resistance during 2F. Using Doppler ultrasound, flow velocity waveforms (FVW) of fetal renal arteries were recorded during behavioural states 1F and 2F. Fetal behavioural states 1F and 2F were assessed by recording fetal heart rate pattern, eye movements and body movements. The PI of the renal artery FVWs were calculated as an index of renal vascular resistance to blood flow. Fifteen healthy pregnant women between 36 and 40 weeks gestational age were studied and the relationship between fetal renal vascular resistance to blood flow and behavioural states was determined. We found that PI values in the renal arteries did not change relative to behavioural state 1F and 2F. These findings suggest that renal vascular resistance to blood flow is not appreciably different in 1F and 2F. This is in contrast with urine production rate which is almost reduced by half during 2F in the near term fetus.

Behavior↗
PubMed1994

Behavioural states and cardiovascular dynamics in the human fetus; an overview.

Behavioural state dependent changes occur in the circulation of the normally developing human fetus at term. During fetal behavioural state 2F (active sleep), there seems to be preferential blood flow through the ductus venosus and foramen ovale into the left heart. Increased left ventricular output of well-oxygenated blood during fetal behavioural state 2F will be necessary to meet the raised energy demands both at cerebral and trunk level as demonstrated by reduced pulsatility index values in the descending aorta, renal artery and intracranial arteries during this behavioural state. The limited studies in IUGR suggest behavioural state independency in the descending aorta and internal carotid artery which may be attributed to the fetus being incapable of adjusting its circulation to the existing behavioural state in the presence of circulatory centralization.

Blood Flow Velocity↗
PubMed1994

Fetal behaviour in uncomplicated pregnancies after 41 weeks of gestation.

The development of fetal behaviour and of fetal behavioural states (FBS) has been well defined in preterm and term fetuses. However, FBS have not yet been studied after term, although this is a potentially very dangerous period and clinical management is controversial. We investigated fetal behaviour in normal pregnancies after 41 weeks of gestation (287 days, menstrual age, GA) as compared to control term fetuses. Furthermore, we wanted to see if the findings might have consequences for clinical management. Twelve healthy women with GA between 289 and 298 days participated. All pregnancies were reliably dated and at the time of the study, there was a normal amount of fluid. Twelve healthy women with GA 273-287 days served as controls. All subjects underwent a behavioural study using cardiotocography to record the heart rate (CTG), and two ultrasound scanners to observe body and eye movements, as described previously. All fetuses in both groups clearly exhibited FBS 1F-4F which fitted the definitions of Nijhuis et al. The median percentage of FBS 3F and 4F ('awake states') increased significantly from 6% in the term group to 21.5% in the fetuses after 41 weeks (P = 0.014). FBS 1F ('quiet sleep') and 2F ('active sleep') decreased from 92 to 78% (P = 0.014), mainly at the expense of FBS 2F which decreased from 78 to 58% (P = 0.002). This indicates increasing wakefulness in utero. The fetal heart rate patterns (FHRP) associated with FBS 3F and 4F were impressive. For example, in FBS 4F, the FHRP showed large amplitude, prolonged accelerations which fused into a sustained tachycardia with only short periods of return to the baseline, resembling tachycardia with decelerations. We conclude that in normal pregnancies after 41 weeks, the development of the fetal central nervous system continues, resulting in an increasing percentage of 'fetal wakefulness'. The CTG-patterns that result from these behaviours can easily mimic fetal distress and one should be aware of this phenomenon. Whether behavioural studies can be used to distinguish 'normal' from 'abnormal' fetuses after term awaits further study.

Behavior↗
PubMed2006

Driver behaviour, dilemma zone and safety effects at urban signalized intersections in Greece.

Driving behaviour at signalized intersections is one of the main factors contributing to the safety level of such entities. This behaviour, with respect to yellow signal obedience or violation, is examined at a signalized intersection in Thessaloniki, Greece. The data, collected for the study purposes, include vehicles' speeds and distance from stop line when exposed to yellow light, gender and age group of drivers as well as reaction of Platoon leaders and first followers. Drivers were grouped into three categories, namely conservative, normal and aggressive, according to their behaviour at the intersection, the existence of a dilemma or option zone and their initial approaching speed. A binary choice model was also developed relating the probability of stopping at the STOP line or crossing it as a function of approach speed, distance from intersection, gender, age group and the existence or not of a dilemma zone. The findings of this research indicate that a large percentage of drivers facing the yellow signal are caught in a dilemma zone due to high approaching speeds and exercise an aggressive behaviour. The distribution of drivers into the three categories changes with differing assumptions pertaining to the factors affecting the calculation of safe stopping distance and critical crossing distance as well as speed thresholds for determining a priori aggressive behaviour. The research concludes that aggressive drivers represent a high percentage of all drivers and measures towards improving driving behaviour and/or reducing vehicles' speeds are required.

Acceleration↗