Behavioural brain research
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Depression is a frequent comorbid disorder in Parkinson's disease and may antedate its motor symptoms. However, mechanisms underlying Parkinson's disease-associated depression are unknown and its current medication is insufficient. The aim of the present study was to compare antidepressant-like effects of imipramine, fluoxetine and pramipexole in a model of preclinical stages of Parkinson's disease in rats. 6-Hydroxydopamine was bilaterally injected into the ventrolateral region of the caudate-putamen in rats. ⋯ Chronic pramipexole activated dopaminergic transmission in the brain structures which might contribute to its effectiveness in the forced swimming test. In contrast, the 13-day administration of imipramine (10mg/kg ip/day) and fluoxetine (10mg/kg ip/day) did not shorten the immobility time in lesioned rats but reduced their locomotion. The present study indicates that already a moderate lesion of dopaminergic neurons induces "depressive-like" behaviour in animals which is reversed by chronic administration of the antiparkinsonian drug, pramipexole.
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The major side-effects of high doses of salicylate include sensorial hearing loss and tinnitus. Although salicylate decreases cochlear output, it enhances the evoked potentials recorded from the central auditory system (CAS), suggesting an increase to sound sensitivity. However, the loudness change after salicylate administration has not yet been directly measured. ⋯ The reaction time level functions are highly correlated to the loudness response functions. Our studies confirmed that increased sound sensitivity, which is commonly seen in patients with tinnitus and hyperacusis, can be induced by high doses of salicylate. This loudness change induced by salicylate may be related with hypersensitivity in the CAS.
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Glutathione is the major antioxidant in the living cells. Its deficit has been linked to neurodegenerative disorders as Parkinson's disease but its role in the etiology of nigral degeneration and sensory-motor performance has been poorly explored. To evaluate the effect of glutathione depletion on nigro-striatal oxidative metabolism and sensory-motor performance in rats, l-buthionine sulfoximine (15 mM) or saline solution was injected into substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). ⋯ However, a loss in dopaminergic cells was found. At the same time, animals with glutathione depletion have shown poor performance in behavioral tests except for staircase test. These results suggest that glutathione depletion can be related to sensory-motor dysfunction.
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The aim of this study was to demonstrate that two REM clusters, which emerge following bilateral pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPT) lesions in rats, are two functionally distinct REM states. We performed the experiments in Wistar rats, chronically instrumented for sleep recording. Bilateral PPT lesions were produced by the microinfusion of 100 nl of 0.1M ibotenic acid (IBO). ⋯ Bilateral PPT lesion did not change the sleep/wake states architecture of the SMCx, but pathologically increased the duration of REM1 within the MCx, alongside increasing Wake/REM1/Wake and NREM/REM2/NREM transitions within both cortices. In addition, the augmented total REM SMCx EEG beta amplitude and REM1 MCx EEG theta amplitude was the underlying EEG microstructure pathology. PPT lesion induced REM1 and REM2 are differential states with regard to total EMG power, topographically distinct EEG microstructures, and locomotor drives to nuchal musculature.