To investigate the effects of chronic exposure to the cardiotonic steroid digoxin on locomotor activity, anxiety, and brain tissue monoamine content in Zebrafish. In total 24 adult (3-5 months) wild-type experimentally naïve zebrafish (50 : 50 ratio of females to males) were housed in 4-L tanks, in groups of six animals per tank. Two μM Digoxin was maintained in half of the tanks for 7 days.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFParkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by a long prodromal period, during which patients often have sleep disturbances. The histaminergic system and circadian rhythms play an important role in the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle. Changes in the functioning of these systems may be involved in the pathogenesis of early stages of PD and may be age-dependent.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCardiotonic steroids (CTSs), such as digoxin, are used for heart failure treatment. However, digoxin permeates the brain-blood barrier (BBB), affecting central nervous system (CNS) functions. Finding a CTS that does not pass through the BBB would increase CTSs' applicability in the clinic and decrease the risk of side effects on the CNS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn recent years, enough evidence has accumulated to assert that cardiotonic steroids, Na,K-ATPase ligands, play an integral role in the physiological and pathophysiological processes in the body. However, little is known about the function of these compounds in the central nervous system. Endogenous cardiotonic steroids are involved in the pathogenesis of affective disorders, including depression and bipolar disorder, which are linked to dopaminergic system dysfunction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOxidative stress, accompanied by mitochondrial dysfunction, is a key mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Both carnosine and lipoic acid are potent antioxidants, the applicability of which in therapy is hindered by their limited bioavailability. This study aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective properties of a nanomicellar complex of carnosine and lipoic acid (CLA) in a rotenone-induced rat model of PD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProcesses of intracellular and extracellular transport play one of the most important roles in the functioning of cells. Changes to transport mechanisms in a neuron can lead to the disruption of many cellular processes and even to cell death. It was shown that disruption of the processes of vesicular, axonal, and synaptic transport can lead to a number of diseases of the central nervous system, including Parkinson's disease (PD).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFParkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by slow progression with a long prodromal stage and the gradual evolution of both neuropsychological symptoms and subtle motor changes, preceding motor dysfunction. Thus, in order for animal models of PD to be valid, they should reproduce these characteristics of the disease. One of such models, in which neuropathology is induced by chronic injections of low doses of mitochondrial toxin rotenone, is well established in rats.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeurokinin-1 receptor (NK1r) antagonists have been shown to suppress operant self-administration of alcohol, voluntary alcohol consumption and stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol-seeking behaviour. Considering the long half-life and anxiolytic-like properties of NK1r antagonist rolapitant, we expected that it may be an effective option for reducing anxiety and alcohol motivation during early withdrawal. Voluntary alcohol intake (two-bottles paradigm) was recorded in male Wistar rats during the three periods: 24 days (basal level), 6-day period when rats received 5 mg·kg rolapitant or vehicle and 12-h period after repeated withdrawal episodes (alcohol cessation for 36 h).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFL-Carnosine (β-alanyl-L-histidine) is a well-known antioxidant and neuroprotector in various models on animals and cell cultures. However, while there is a plethora of data demonstrating its efficiency as a neuroprotector, there is a distinct lack of data regarding the mechanism of its take up by neurons. According to literature, cultures of rat astrocytes, SKPT cells and rat choroid plexus epithelial cells take up carnosine via the H-coupled PEPT2 membrane transporter.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSubcutaneous administration of rotenone to rats is currently a widely used method of reproducing Parkinson's disease (PD) symptoms, due to its convenience and effectiveness. Despite this, its influence on the temporal dynamics of parkinsonism development has yet to be investigated. The present study characterizes behavioral and neurochemical disruptancies underlying the dynamics of parkinsonism development in rats, induced by chronic subcutaneous administration of 2 mg/kg rotenone over the course of 18 days.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Ionizing Radiation (IR) is one of the major limiting factors for human deep-space missions. Preventing IR-induced cognitive alterations in astronauts is a critical success factor. It has been shown that cognitive alterations in rodents can be inferred by alterations of a psycho- emotional balance, primarily an anxiogenic effect of IR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFParkinson's disease is the second most frequent neurodegenerative disease, representing a significant medical and socio-economic problem. Modern medicine still has no answer to the question of why Parkinson's disease develops and whether it is possible to develop an effective system of prevention. Therefore, active work is currently underway to find ways to assess the risks of the disease, as well as a means to extend the life of patients and improve its quality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of ouabain, an inhibitor of the Na, K-ATPase, is an approach used to study the physiological functions of the Na, K-ATPase and cardiotonic steroids in the central nervous system, known to cause mania-like hyperactivity in rats. We describe a mouse model of ouabain-induced mania-like behavior. ICV administration of 0.
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