Monoaminergic dysregulation on diestrus-2 and estrus through high emotional reactivity

Rats with great differences in emotional reactivity, during weighing and handling for vaginal smear screening were examined on diestrus-2 (DE-2), proestrus (PE), and estrus (E). Rats with high emotional reactivity (HR), interpreted as trait anxiety, had different serotonergic and dopaminergic profile in hypothalamus-preoptic area (HY-PA) and striatum (Str) and thymus weight lower than that found in rats with low emotional reactivity (LR). In HY-PA of rats with HR when compared to rats with LR, increased 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), 5-HIAA/serotonin (5-HT) ratio, and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and in Str increased DOPAC and DOPAC/dopamine (DA) ratio were found only on DE-2, paralleled by increased adrenal weight and decreased thymus weight. In Str, a significant effect of HR on 5-HIAA was found only on E, in parallel with increased 5-HT and decreased DOPAC and DOPAC/DA ratio when compared to rats with LR. The results suggest that activation of 5-HT and DA in HY-PA and DA in Str through HR is apparent only on DE-2 while, conversely, on E suppression of striatal DA it is apparent with 5-HT dysregulation. These findings might have some relevance to the predisposition of women with trait anxiety to premenstrual syndrome.     

Ultrasonic vocalization behavior differs between lines of ethanol-preferring and nonpreferring rats

To further understand the relationship between emotional state and alcohol intake in rats, the tendency to emit ultrasonic vocalizations in response to an aversive, but nonpainful, air puff stimulus was tested in several rat lines. Included in this group were Maudsley Reactive (MR) and Non-Reactive (MNR) rats, and several lines of rats with either high ethanol preference or a low ethanol preference: Preferring, (P), Alko-Alcohol (AA), and Fawn-Hooded (FH) animals; and Non-Preferring (NP), Alko-Non-Alcohol (ANA), and Flinders Resistant Line (FRL). MR rats emitted fewer ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) and showed less preference for ethanol than did MNR animals. An overall analysis that included the P, NP, FH, FRL, AA, and ANA groups demonstrated a significant negative correlation between the total number of USVs emitted and ethanol consumption. NP, FRL, and especially ANA rats (low ethanol-preferring) emitted the most USVs--to an extent similar to that typically found for normal rats. The duration of vocalizing was higher only in the NP and the FRL rats the relative to their P and FH comparison groups, respectively. In the ethanol-preferring and nonpreferring lines, the numbers of USVs emitted correlated positively with the duration of vocalizing, but not with the latency to vocalize, which in turn did not correlate strongly with ethanol intake. The latency to vocalize did not correlate significantly with ethanol intake across all drinking lines or MR or MNR rats, but was found to be higher in FH and AA rats relative to their nondrinking comparison groups. These associations suggest that the relationship between emotional state and ethanol drinking is complex and cannot be attributed to a simple elevated state of anxiety or emotionality. Further examination of the central nervous system mechanisms mediating the difference in USVs between paired lines of ethanol-preferring and nonpreferring rats may identify neurochemical factors that predict ethanol preference.     

Defensive burying and stress gastric erosions in alcohol-preferring AA and alcohol-avoiding ANA rats

The aim of this study was to investigate differences in shock-prod induced defensive burying and vulnerability to stress gastric ulcerations in two lines of rats selectively bred for alcohol-preference (AA) and alcohol-avoidance (ANA). Alcohol-na?ve animals from the AA and ANA lines were tested in the shock-prod defensive burying test and (after an interval of approximately 2 months) in a 75 min water-immersion stress ulceration-inducing procedure. The AA rats showed longer latencies (327.5 s) for burying after shock-prod compared with the ANA animals (128.0 s). Furthermore, the ANA rats developed more stomach ulcerations (12.35 mm) compared with the AA rats (1.30 mm). Animals also differed based on whether they had been tested for defensive burying or not, with the tested animals showing less ulceration development than the control group. We hypothesize that the difference between AA and ANA rats is controlled by some common biochemical mechanism. One likely candidate is the dopaminergic system, which is involved in both the motivational effects of alcohol, as well as anxiety and stomach ulceration. In addition, the alcohol-preferring strain seems to be less fearful and generally may be less sensitive to aversive stimuli, be it shock prod, the aversive properties of alcohol, or water immersion stress.     

Comparison of alcohol-preferring and nonpreferring selectively bred rat lines. I. Ethanol initiation and limited access operant self-administration

Several lines of alcohol-preferring and alcohol-nonpreferring rats have been developed using selective breeding based on 24-hr homecage ethanol consumption. However, it remains unclear if the selection based on two-bottle choice resulted in similar ethanol self-administration when measured using an operant procedure. In this paper, we compare our previous work using alcohol-accepting (AA) and alcohol-nonaccepting (ANA) rats with data obtained using the identical procedures in the (P) and (NP) rat lines, and both replicate lines of the high alcohol drinking (HAD1 and HAD2) and low alcohol drinking (LAD1 and LAD2) lines. All rats from each line were initiated to self-administer 10% ethanol using the sucrose fading procedure. After initiation, increasing concentrations of ethanol up to 30% ethanol were tested. The results indicated that only in the LAD1 and LAD2 lines was ethanol presentation not able to maintain lever pressing after initiation. Compared with the AA line, the P, HAD1, HAD2, and NP lines all self-administered more ethanol in the operant paradigm after initiation. The ANA line self-administered less ethanol than the AA line, but more than the LAD lines. Correlational analysis of homecage consumption with operant ethanol self-administration suggested that approximately 62% of the genetic variance in operant self-administration resulted from genes selected for the homecage drinking. At the same time, it was clear that there were genetic influences on operant self-administration that were not selected for by homecage ethanol drinking.     

Behavioral similarities and differences among alcohol-preferring and -nonpreferring rats: confirmation by factor analysis and extension to additional groups

Thirteen behavioral variables from six tasks were measured in alcohol-preferring (AA, FH, and P) and -nonpreferring (ANA, FRL, and NP) rat lines/strains and subjected to Factor Analysis. Four Independent factors accounted for > 90% of the variance. Defecation in the open field and ultrasonic vocalizations after an air puff were negatively correlated with alcohol intake and preference, whereas the increase in daily fluid intake in the presence of saccharin was positively correlated. Other factors could be labeled Activity, Emotionality, and immobility Factors, and each was independent of the Alcohol Factor. When an additional alcohol-preferring rat line (HAD) and two additional nonpreferring groups (LAD and ACI) were tested, they were found to differ on most behaviors that were associated with alcohol intake and preference in the Factor Analysis; vocalizations and saccharin-induced increase in fluid intake, but not defection. A new Factor Analysis was then performed incorporating these three new groups and including five new behavioral measures. The following measures had high loadings on the Alcohol Factor: alcohol intake under choice conditions; alcohol preference; forced alcohol intake; alcohol acceptance (forced alcohol intake/basal water intake x 100); ultrasonic vocalization; saccharin intake; saccharin-induced increase in daily fluid intake; defecation in the open field test; and immobility in a modified forced swim test. These findings indicate that there are indeed certain behavioral characteristics that are common among alcohol-preferring rat lines/strains, but there are also substantial group differences on other behavioral measures. For those behavioral measures reflecting emotionality (defecation and ultrasonic vocalization) that loaded highly on the Alcohol Factor, the alcohol-preferring rats had lower scores.     

Magnolol decreases body temperature by reducing 5-hydroxytryptamine release in the rat hypothalamus

1. The effects of magnolol, isolated and purified from the cortex of Magnolia officinalis Rehd. et Wils, on thermoregulation and hypothalamic release of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) by in vivo microdialysis were assessed in normothermic rats and in febrile rats treated with interleukin-1 beta. 2. Intraperitoneal administration of magnolol (25-100 mg/kg) produced a decrease in colon temperature, an increase in foot skin temperature, a decrease in metabolic rate and a decrease in the endogenous release of 5-HT in the rat hypothalamus. 3. Depletion of rat brain 5-HT, produced by intracerebroventricular pretreatment with 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine, attenuated the magnolol-induced hypothermia, cutaneous vasodilation and decreased metabolism. 4. Intracerebroventricular administration of (+/-)-2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (a 5-HT2 receptor agonist; 5-10 micrograms/5 microL) increased basal colon temperature and reversed the magnolol-induced hypothermia. 5. The increases in both colon temperature and hypothalamic 5-HT release produced by interleukin-1 beta injection were attenuated by treatment with magnolol. 6. The data suggest that magnolol decreases body temperature (due to increased heat loss and decreased heat production) by reducing 5-HT release in rat hypothalamus.     

Urine sodium, potassium and osmolality in two rat strains selected for their different ethanol preferences

Urine sodium, potassium and osmolality were investigated during water and ethanol diuresis in two rat strains, AA and ANA, which drink voluntarily different amounts of ethanol. At the start of each experiment the rats were in a positive water balance. During ethanol intoxication the AA strain excreted more urine than the ANA strain. In ethanol experiments the osmolality of the urine was higher in the AA strain than in the ANA strain. With ethanol amounts of 2.4 g/kg body weight and 4.8 g/kg of body weight, urinary sodium and potassium output was greater in AA rats than ANA rats. When only water was introduced urine volumes and the excretion of sodium and potassium during 180 min were greater in ANA males than in AA males.     

Ethanol Palatability and Consumption by High Ethanol-Drinking Rats: Manipulation of the Opioid System With Naltrexone.

Three experiments examined the effect of acute naltrexone treatment on both taste reactivity and consumption of ethanol in high ethanol-preferring rat lines: Alko Alcohol-Accepting (AA) rats (Experiments 1 and 2) and Alcohol-Preferring (P) rats (Experiment 3). A 3.0 mg/kg naltrexone dose was ineffective at altering ethanol palatability for either line, whereas 7.5 mg/kg was effective at reducing palatability of 10% ethanol for AA, but not P, rats, as reflected by both a decrease in ingestive responding and an increase in aversive responding. The effects of naltrexone on ethanol consumption were quite consistent: At both dosages, acute naltrexone treatment significantly decreased consumption of 10% ethanol. Termination of naltrexone resulted in an immediate increase in ethanol consumption to control levels. Results show that ethanol palatability and consumption can be dissociated in the rat and that the organization of opioidergic mechanisms that mediate ethanol responses may vary between rat lines. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Medicine in the vocal arts

The effects of the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) on the central nervous system (CNS) were studied in rats. Behavioural and neurochemical studies were performed. Results show that acute and oral administration of dimethylamine 2,4-D was able to decrease locomotion and rearing frequencies and to increase immobility duration of rats observed in an open-field test. Treatment of rats with p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) was unable to change rat's open-field behaviour; 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) administration not only increased locomotion and rearing frequencies but also decreased immobility duration. Pretreatment of the rats with PCPA and 5-HTP decreased and increased dimethylamine 2,4-D effects, respectively. The herbicide was not able to change the striatal levels of dopamine and homovanilic acid but decreased the striatal levels of serotonin (5-HT), as observed for the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg and increased those of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) as measured after the 200 mg/kg dose treatment. When the levels of serotonin and 5-HIAA were measured at the brain stem level, only those of 5-HIAA were modified, being increased by diethylamine 2,4-D (60; 100 and 200 mg/kg); this increment on 5-HIAA levels was observed even 1 hr after pesticide administration. Further analysis showed that 2,4-D concentrations chromatographically detected both in serum and brain of the intoxicated animals were dose-dependent, being found as early as 1 hr after the smaller dose of the herbicide used (10 mg/kg). The results suggest that diethylamine 2,4-D modify 5-HT functional activity within the CNS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

High serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels in limbic brain regions in a rat model of depression: normalization by chronic antidepressant treatment

Although alterations in serotonin levels and neurotransmission are associated with depressive disorders and effective antidepressant therapy, the exact cause of these disorders and the mode of action of antidepressant drugs are poorly understood. In a genetic rat model of depression [Flinders sensitive line (FSL) rats], deviations from normal serotonin (5-HT) levels and metabolism in specific brain regions were determined. The levels of 5-HT and its metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), in tissue punches of various brain regions were quantitated simultaneously with an HPLC apparatus coupled to an electrochemical detector. In the nucleus accumbens, prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and hypothalamus of FSL rats, the levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA were three- to eightfold higher than in control Sprague-Dawley rats. Significant differences in the levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the striatum and raphe nucleus of the "depressed" and normal rats were not observed. After chronic treatment with the antidepressant desipramine (5 mg/kg/day for 18 days), the immobility score in a swim test, as a measure of a behavioral deficit, and 5-HT levels of the FSL rats became normalized, but these parameters in the control rats did not change. The [5-HIAA]/[5-HT] ratio was lower in the nucleus accumbens and hypothalamus of the FSL than in the control rats, and increased after desipramine treatment only in the nucleus accumbens of the FSL rats. These results indicate that the behavioral deficits expressed in the FSL model for depression correlate with increased 5-HT levels in specific limbic sites and suggest the FSL rats as a novel model for clarification of the molecular mechanism of clinically used antidepressant drugs.     

F 11440, a potent, selective, high efficacy 5-HT1A receptor agonist with marked anxiolytic and antidepressant potential

F 11440 (4-methyl-2-[4-(4-(pyrimidin-2-yl)-piperazino)-butyl]-2H, 4H-1,2,4-triazin-3,5-dione) was the outcome of a research effort guided by the hypothesis that the magnitude of the intrinsic activity of agonists at 5-HT1A receptors determines the magnitude of their antidepressant and anxiolytic-like effects. The affinity of F 11440 for 5-HT1A binding sites (pKi, 8.33) was higher than that of buspirone (pKi, 7.50), and somewhat lower than that of flesinoxan (pKi, 8.91). In vivo, F 11440 was 4- to 20-fold more potent than flesinoxan, and 30- to 60-fold more potent than buspirone, in exerting 5-HT1A agonist activity at pre- and postsynaptic receptors in rats (measured by, for example, its ability to decrease hippocampal extracellular serotonin (5-HT) levels and to increase plasma corticosterone levels, respectively). F 11440 did not have detectable antidopaminergic activity (unlike buspirone, which inhibited all of the directly observable behavioral effects of methylphenidate in rats), showed no evidence of antihistaminergic activity (unlike flesinoxan, which protected against the effects of a histamine aerosol in guinea pigs), and had a 70-fold separation between its 5-HT1A agonist and alpha-1 adrenergic antagonist properties (measured as the ability to inhibit the methoxamineinduced increase in blood pressure in rats), unlike flesinoxan, which showed a <3-fold separation. In HeLa cells expressing human 5-HT1A receptors, F 11440 decreased the forskolin-induced increase in AMP, and, based on its maximal effect, was found to have an intrinsic activity of 1.0 relative to that of 5-HT, which was significantly higher than that of buspirone (0.49), ipsapirone (0.46) and flesinoxan (0.93). Consistent with the aforementioned hypothesis, F 11440 produced anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects in animal models (i.e., increased punished responding in a pigeon conflict procedure and decreased immobility in a rat forced swimming test, respectively) that were more substantial than those of buspirone, ipsapirone and flesinoxan. Thus, F 11440, shown here to be a potent, selective, high efficacy 5-HT1A receptor agonist, appears to have the potential to exert marked anxiolytic and antidepressant activity in humans.     

Posttraining norepinephrine infusion into the central amygdala differentially enhances later retention in Roman high-avoidance and low-avoidance rats.

Memory-enhancement effects of norepinephrine (NE) were investigated by infusing NE into the central amygdala (CEA) of Roman high-avoidance (RHA) and low-avoidance (RLA) rats after training on active and passive behaviors in the defensive-burying paradigm. During acquisition, both lines spent comparable time in burying behavior. RLA rats, but not RHA rats, also displayed substantial immobility. During retention, the CSF-treated RLA rats mostly displayed immobility to the nonelectrified probe, whereas the RHA rats showed neither burying nor immobility. In the RLA rats, high-dose (200 ng), but not low-dose (20 ng), NE infusion enhanced the duration of the passive response (immobility) without affecting the active response. NE given into the CEA of RHA rats caused a selective dose-dependent appearance of the active behavioral component. The results suggest a phenotype-dependent effect of intra-amygdaloid NE on memory processes in the rat. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Long-term behavioural and neuroendocrine changes in Roman high-(RHA/Verh) and low-(RLA-Verh) avoidance rats following neonatal handling

Roman high-(RHA/Verh) and low-(RLA/Verh) avoidance rats, originally selected and bred for rapid vs poor acquisition of a two-way active avoidance response, differ in emotional reactivity and coping style. These differences are associated with particular neuroendocrine and neurochemical characteristics. New data are presented here to show that the behavioural changes specifically induced by neonatal handling, i.e. decreased emotional reactivity, are associated with marked changes in the neuroendocrine responses of (hyperemotional) RLA/Verh rats to a novel environment. Eight months after neonatal handling, self-grooming behaviour, a reliable marker of emotional reactivity in this line of rats, was significantly decreased in RLA/Verh rats. Defecation scores were also significantly reduced in both lines. Moreover, there was a significant reduction in prolactin and corticosterone release following exposure to a novel environment in neonatally-handled RLA/Verh rats as compared to control, non-handled rats. No effects on prolactin and corticosterone release were observed in RHA/Verh rats. There was also no apparent effect of neonatal handling on coping style i.e. RLA/Verh rats did not increase their spontaneous exploration of novel environments. Thus, the phenotypic expression of basic traits of (high) neuroendocrine/emotional reactivity was specifically modulated by neonatal handling in RLA/Verh rats, whereas both the (hypoemotional) RHA/Verh rats as well as coping style in both lines remained unaffected. Changes in emotional reactivity were still apparent at 12 months of age when rats from the same groups were tested for hyponeophagia. These results suggest that psychogenetically selected lines such as RHA/RLA rats are suitable animal models to investigate interactions between genes and the environment in determining individual sensitivity to stress and coping styles, as well as potential vulnerability (or resistance) to the development of maladaptive syndromes similar to anxiety and mood disorders in humans.     

Holtzman and Harlan Sprague-Dawley rats: differences in DRL 72-sec performance and 8-hydroxy-di-propylamino tetralin-induced hypothermia

Several compounds were tested on the differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate 72-sec (DRL 72-sec) schedule, a behavioral screen to determine putative antidepressants; these compounds were evaluated in two outbred stocks of rats, Harlan and Holtzman Sprague-Dawley rats. A dose-response determination for the tricyclic antidepressants, imipramine and desipramine, the selective serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) reuptake inhibitor, fluoxetine, the 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, ketanserin, the 5-HT1A receptor agonist, (+/-)8-hydroxy-di-propylamino tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) and the dopamine releasing compound, amphetamine, were assessed in both rat stocks. The two stocks of rats differed in their baseline performance on the DRL 72-sec schedule. The Harlan rats had a higher reinforcement rate and a lower response rate than the Holtzman rats. In Holtzman, but not in Harlan rats, imipramine, ketanserin, fluoxetine and 8-OH-DPAT increased reinforcement rate and decreased response rate on the DRL 72-sec schedule, confirming previous studies. However, desipramine was the only drug to increase reinforcement rate and decrease response rate in both Holtzman and Harlan rats; in Harlan rats, drugs that primarily act upon the 5-HT system, imipramine, ketanserin, fluoxetine and 8-OH-DPAT, disrupted the DRL 72-sec performance and did not increase the number of reinforcements over baseline as was seen in Holtzman rats. Amphetamine disrupted DRL 72-sec performance in both Holtzman and Harlan rats in a similar manner. The hypothermic response to 8-OH-DPAT was also assessed in the two stocks of rats; Holtzman rats had a smaller decrease in core body temperature than Harlan rats. The observed behavioral and pharmacological differences between Holtzman and Harlan rat stocks may be genetically and/or environmentally mediated.     

Increase in affinity and loss of 5-hydroxytryptamine2A-receptor reserve for 5-hydroxytryptamine on the aorta of spontaneously hypertensive rats

1. The aim of this study was to determine whether the KA value and fractional occupancy-response relationship for 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) at 5-HT2A-receptors were altered in a rat model of genetic hypertension. Thus, the effects of phenoxybenzamine, an irreversible blocker at 5-HT2A-receptors, on the responses of the aorta from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and normotensive rats to 5-HT have been examined. The two strains of normotensive rats used were Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats and Wistar rats bred in Auckland (WA rats). 2. The sensitivity to 5-HT was increased in aortae from hypertensive rats. The pD2 values for 5-HT during the first challenge were 5.54 +/- 0.08 (14), 5.43 +/- 0.05 (12) and 6.08 +/- 0.04 (12) on the aorta of WKY rats, WA rats, and SHRs, respectively. 3. The affinity for 5-HT was increased in hypertension. Phenoxybenzamine at 2 x 10(-8)M for 30 min caused nonparallel rightward shifts of 5-HT response curves and the KA values were 16.8 x 10(-6)M, 45.6 x 10(-6)M and 4.4 x 10(-6)M on the WKY rat, WA rat, and SHR aorta, respectively. 4. There was a loss of receptor reserve for 5-HT in aortae from hypertensive rats. On the WKY and WA rat aortae, 5-HT caused 50 and 95% maximal responses by occupying 10-20 and 45-60%, whereas on the SHR aorta 5-HT produced 50 and 95% maximal responses by occupying 20-30 and 75-85% of the available 5-HT2A receptors, respectively. 5. The sensitivity to phenylephrine was not altered in hypertension. The mean pD2 values for phenylephrine were 7.14 +/- 0.05 (22) and 7.11 +/- 0.06 (22) on the WKY rat and SHR aorta, respectively. 6. These results show that there is a selective increase in sensitivity to 5-HT on the aorta in a rat model of genetic hypertension. There is also an increase in affinity for 5-HT at the 5-HT2A-receptors and a loss of 5-HT2A-receptor reserve for 5-HT responses on the aorta of SHRs.     

Hippocampal 5-HT1A receptor binding site densities, 5-HT1A receptor messenger ribonucleic acid abundance and serotonin levels parallel the activity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in rats

We have previously demonstrated that susceptibility of the Lewis rat to inflammatory disease, compared to the relatively resistant Fischer F344 rat, is related to a hyporesponsive hypothalamopituitary adrenal axis to inflammatory and other stress mediators. Since 5-HT and the 5HT1A receptor are important stimulators of this axis, we have investigated the levels of 5-HT1A receptor binding sites and encoding mRNA, 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid in various brain regions of Lewis, Harlan Sprague Dawley and Fischer F344 rats. Lewis rats expressed significantly less hippocampal and frontal cortical 5-HT1A receptor binding sites and mRNA than Harlan Sprague-Dawley and Fischer F344 rats. Adrenalectomy increased the number of 5HT1A receptor binding sites and mRNA expression in the hippocampus of all three strains. The levels of hippocampal 5-HT in Fischer F344 rats were significantly greater than levels detected in the same regions for the other two strains. Hypothalamic 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid levels in Harlan Sprague-Dawley rats were higher than the same area from the other two strains. Adrenalectomy increased the levels of 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid in the hypothalamus of all three strains. We conclude that hippocampal 5-HT1A receptor densities and 5-HT levels in the rat parallel the the activity and responsiveness of the hypthalamopituitary-adrenal axis. We have published these data in an earlier report.     

Emotion and motivation II: Sex differences in picture processing.

Adhering to the view that emotional reactivity is organized in part by underlying motivational states--defensive and appetitive--we investigated sex differences in motivational activation. Men's and women's affective reactions were measured while participants viewed pictures with varied emotional and neutral content. As expected, highly arousing contents of threat, mutilation, and erotica prompted the largest affective reactions in both men and women. Nonetheless, women showed a broad disposition to respond with greater defensive reactivity to aversive pictures, regardless of specific content, whereas increased appetitive activation was apparent for men only when viewing erotica. Biological and sociocultural factors in shaping sex differences in emotional reactivity are considered as possible mediators of sex differences in emotional response. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Age-related behavioural, neurochemical and radioligand binding changes in the central 5-HT system of Sprague-Dawley rats

Mature (3-4 months) and aged (18-19 months) Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were treated with 5-HT receptor agonists and drug-induced behaviours monitored. The 5-HT2/1C agonist, 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI), induced wet dog shakes and back muscle contractions which were significantly increased in aged, compared to mature, rats, suggesting an age-related enhancement of 5-HT2 receptor function. In contrast, the selective 5-HT1A agonist 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino) tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) induced forepaw treading, flat body posture, hypothermia and hyperactivity which were not significantly different in aged compared to mature rats. Levels of 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in the hippocampus and frontal cortex were measured using high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. There were no age-related changes in hippocampal 5-HT or 5-HIAA. However both 5-HT and 5-HIAA were increased in the frontal cortex of aged SD rats. 8-OH-DPAT reduced 5-HIAA in both regions examined in mature rats, an effect which was attenuated in the aged rats, suggesting an age-related reduction in presynaptic 5-HT1A receptor function. DOI did not induce any changes in 5-HT or 5-HIAA in either of the regions examined. Radioligand binding studies with [3H] ketanserin showed there to be no significant age-related changes in cortical 5-HT2 receptor density or affinity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Maternal stress induces synaptic loss and developmental disabilities of offspring

Mild prenatal stress affects the serotonergic system in the hippocampus of rat offspring. Pregnant rats were daily exposed to mild stress treatments (consisting of crowding and saline injection) during days 15 to 21 of pregnancy. Their offspring were assessed by a series of biochemical, histological and behavioral tests. On 35 days after birth, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) level was decreased by 17% (P < 0.05), whereas 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) level was increased by 18% (P < 0.05) in the offspring of prenatally stressed rats. The metabolic rate (5-HIAA/5-HT) was increased by 49% (P < 0.01). Synaptic density in the hippocampus of prenatally stressed offspring was also decreased by 32% (P < 0.0001) on postnatal day 35. There was no significant group difference in the spatial learning acquisition test of the Morris water maze; however, in the reversal task, prenatally stressed 5-week old rats spent more time than control animals searching for the platform of the pool. Escape latency in the cued test showed no significant difference. Together with data in our previous studies, that have shown 5-HT to facilitate synapse formation and maintenance in the central nervous system, synaptic loss is suggested to occur in relation to changes of 5-HT system in the hippocampus of prenatally stressed offspring. This may be associated with reported changes in behavior and learning ability in prenatally stressed offspring.     

The role of inducible nitric oxide synthase in cardiac allograft rejection

Rats were exposed to either a footshock stimulus (FS) or emotional stimulus (ES, forced perception of another rat receiving footshocks) during a daily 10-min session for 5 consecutive days. The consequences of FS and ES on their behavioural responsiveness were assessed at different post-stress intervals using a small open-field. FS induced a decrease in ambulation, rearing and sniffing and an increased immobility in the small open field. These effects were present in rats tested immediately after the last session and remained present for at least 15 days. In contrast, ES induced a transient decrease in ambulation and rearing immediately after the last session, but in the period from half an hour until at least 15 days after the stimulus experience, an increase in ambulation, rearing and sniffing was observed. Exposure to one footshock per session for 5 consecutive days or to 10 footshocks in a single session also resulted in a long-lasting reduction in ambulation and sniffing and an increase in immobility. The former regime did not influence the behavioural response of ES rats, but the latter resulted in an increase in ambulation, rearing and sniffing in ES rats. Naloxone (1 mg/kg s.c.) pretreatment antagonized the increased behavioural activity of the ES rats whereas the activity of control and FS animals was not affected, suggesting an involvement of endogenous opioid systems in the behavioural responses observed in ES rats. It is suggested that the behavioural responses of the ES and FS animals are regulated by different mechanisms.