Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior
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Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. · Jan 2013
Long-term cognitive and neurochemical effects of "bath salt" designer drugs methylone and mephedrone.
The use of cathinone-derivative designer drugs methylone and mephedrone has increased rapidly in recent years. Our aim was to investigate the possible long-term effects of these drugs on a range of behavioral tests in mice. Further, we investigated the long-term effects of these drugs on brain neurochemistry in both rats and mice. ⋯ Both methylone and mephedrone appeared to have a long-term effect on either behavioral or biochemical gauges of neurotoxicity in rodents.
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Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. · Jan 2013
Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase accentuates endotoxin-induced sickness behavior in mice.
Sickness behavior appears to be the expression of a central motivational state that reorganizes an organism's priorities to cope with infectious pathogens. To evaluate the possible participation of nitric oxide (NO) in lipopolysaccharide-induced sickness behaviors, mice were submitted to the forced swim test (FST), open field test and dark-light box test. Food intake and corticosterone plasma levels were evaluated. ⋯ These findings confirm previous observations that have reported LPS-induced sickness behaviors. In addition, they provide evidence that the synthesis of NO modulates changes in depressive-like and exploratory behaviors in mice, which is supported by the fact that NO synthase inhibitors also attenuate LPS-induced behavioral changes. In addition, the present study suggests that NO may have a protective role, acting in an inhibitory feedback manner to limit LPS-induced sickness behavior.
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Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. · Jan 2013
The long-lasting sensitization of primary afferent nociceptors induced by inflammation involves prostanoid and dopaminergic systems in mice.
In recent years, evidence that sensitization of primary afferent nociceptors is an important event associated with chronic pain has been accumulating. The present study aimed to evaluate the participation of the prostaglandin and sympathetic components in the long-lasting sensitization of nociceptors induced by acute inflammation in mice. The intraplantar administration of carrageenan (100 μg) enhanced the nociceptive response to a small dose of PGE(2) (9 ng/paw) or dopamine (3 μg/paw) up to 30 days later. ⋯ In agreement with this idea, the previous intraplantar administration of hyperalgesic doses of PGE(2) or dopamine also induced long-lasting sensitization, which was fully prevented by pretreatment with EP(4) and D(1) antagonists, respectively. In summary, the present work described in mice a long-lasting sensitization of nociceptors, initiated by an acute inflammatory stimulation and dependent on dopaminergic and prostanoid systems. The present data represent new insights on the mechanisms of peripheral sensitization that could contribute to establish the basis of new therapeutic strategies for acute and chronic inflammatory pain.