Involvement of dopaminergic and cholinergic pathways in the induction of yawning and genital grooming by the aqueous extract of Saccharum officinarum L. (sugarcane) in rats.

Yawning, associated with genital grooming, is a physiological response that may be used for elucidating the mechanism of action of drugs. Preliminary analysis showed that aqueous extract (AE) of Saccharum induced yawns in rats. So, we aimed to quantify these behavioral responses and investigate the pharmacological mechanisms involved in these actions.

The modulatory role of M2 muscarinic receptor on apomorphine-induced yawning and genital grooming.

The interaction between dopaminergic and cholinergic pathways in the induction of behavioral responses has been previously established. In the brain, M2 receptors are found predominantly in presynaptic cholinergic neurons as autoreceptors, and in dopaminergic neurons as heteroceptors, suggesting a control role of acetylcholine and dopamine release, respectively. Our aim was to investigate the role of M2 receptors on the yawning and genital grooming of rats induced by apomorphine, a dopaminergic receptor agonist, focusing on the interaction between cholinergic and dopaminergic pathways.

Dual effects of hyperprolactinemia on carrageenan-induced inflammatory paw edema in rats.

Objectives: The effects of short-term 5-day and long-term 30-day hyperprolactinemia induced by domperidone (1.7 mg/kg/day, s.c.

Police officers under attack: resilience implications of an fMRI study.

Objective: Crime is now a top-priority public-health issue in many urban areas. Sao Paulo's state police force was the target of gunfire attack on an unprecedented scale. Several officers were killed or wounded, and many more were affected by psychological trauma.

Behavioral changes in Rattus norvegicus experimentally infected by Toxocara canis larvae.

Toxocara canis is a common canine nematode parasite and one of its possible transmission mechanisms is the predation of infected rodents by canids. Fifty Rattus norvegicus were used to study behavioral alterations in rodents infected by T. canis larvae.

Acute and chronic stress and the inflammatory response in hyperprolactinemic rats.

Background/aim: Prolactin (PRL), a hormone produced by the pituitary gland, has multiple physiological functions, including immunoregulation. PRL can also be secreted in response to stressful stimuli. During stress, PRL has been suggested to oppose the immunosuppressive effects of inflammatory mediators.

Muscular strength decrease in Rattus norvegicus experimentally infected by Toxocara canis.

The muscular strength of experimental infected Rattus norvegicus with 3rd. stage Toxocara canis larvae was investigated. Fifty Wistar rats, divided in three groups (G1-20 rats infected by 300 eggs of T.

Psychotherapy and neuroscience: towards closer integration.

The original aim of psychology was to study and understand the spirit-from the Latin spiritus, literally "breath." The limitations of scientific methods in the past favoured psychology's aloofness in terms of studying the "intangible," while medicine developed methods of examining the body (Latin corpus: essential part). Until 20 years ago, knowledge of the localization of brain functions was limited to inferences from clinical observation of brain-lesioned patients or parallel studies of primate brains.

In vitro macrophage activity: biphasic effect of prolactin and indirect evidence of dopaminergic modulation.

Objective: Prolactin (PRL), a peptide hormone produced by the pituitary gland, is involved in the interaction between the neuroendocrine and immune system. Since dopamine receptor antagonists increase serum levels of PRL, both PRL and dopamine receptors might be involved in the modulation of macrophage activity, providing means of communication between the nervous and immune systems. This study evaluated the effects of PRL and the dopamine antagonist domperidone (DOMP) on macrophage activity of female rats.

The effectiveness of psychological interventions for the treatment of erectile dysfunction: systematic review and meta-analysis, including comparisons to sildenafil treatment, intracavernosal injection, and vacuum devices.

Introduction: In contrast to the impressive advances in somatic research of erectile dysfunction (ED), scientific literature shows contradictory reports on the results of psychotherapy for the treatment of ED.

Aim: Authors conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of psychological interventions for the treatment of ED compared to oral drugs, local injection, vacuum devices, or other psychological intervention.

Method: Distinct sources of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were searched: electronic databases (between 1966 and 2007), cross checking of references, and contact with scientific societies.

Traumatic memories: bridging the gap between functional neuroimaging and psychotherapy.

Objective: Neuroimaging studies have highlighted important issues related to structural and functional brain changes found in sufferers of psychological trauma that may influence their ability to synthesize, categorize, and integrate traumatic memories.

Methods: Literature review and critical analysis and synthesis.

Results: Traumatic memories are diagnostic symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the dual representation theory posits separate memory systems subserving vivid re-experiencing (non-hippocampally dependent) versus declarative autobiographical memories of trauma (hippocampally dependent).

Reproductive experience modifies dopaminergic function, serum levels of prolactin, and macrophage activity in female rats.

Reproductive experience (RE), i.e. pregnancy and lactation, induces physiological changes in mammals.

Increases of kinin B1 and B2 receptors binding sites after brain infusion of amyloid-beta 1-40 peptide in rats.

Although numerous inflammation pathways have been implicated in Alzheimer's disease, the involvement of the kallikrein-kinin system is still under investigation. We anatomically localized and quantified the density of kinin B(1) and B(2) receptors binding sites in the rat brain after the infusion of amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptide in the right lateral brain ventricle for 5 weeks. The conditioned avoidance test showed a significant reduction of memory consolidation in rats infused with Abeta (68.

Cerebral blood flow changes during retrieval of traumatic memories before and after psychotherapy: a SPECT study.

Background: Traumatic memory is a key symptom in psychological trauma victims and may remain vivid for several years. Psychotherapy has shown that neither the psychopathological signs of trauma nor the expression of traumatic memories are static over time. However, few studies have investigated the neural substrates of psychotherapy-related symptom changes.

Periaqueductal gray cholecystokinin infusions block morphine-induced disruption of maternal behavior.

Cholecystokinin (CCK) and opiates interaction is critical for maintaining maternal behavior during lactation. Morphine inhibits while CCK restores maternal behavior. Recently we have shown that periaqueductal gray (PAG) is a region critically involved in the opioidergic blockade of maternal behavior.

Rapidly induced dopaminergic supersensitivity: D1/D2 receptor participation and its prevention by an MAO-inhibitor.

The dopaminergic system requires combined dopamine D1/D2 receptor stimulation to express its activity; a phenomenon called synergism D1/D2. Dopamine receptors develop supersensitivity following dopamine de-afferentation and/or reserpine treatment. Acute supersensitivity occurs with reserpine treatment.

A comparative study of morphine treatment regimen prior to mating and during late pregnancy.

Pre-mating treatment of female rats with morphine may have long-term effects. In this study, we analyzed the effects of two types of morphine sulfate pre-treatment: during pre-mating (5.0 mg/kg on alternate days for a total of seven doses) and during pregnancy (3.

Psychological dynamics affecting traumatic memories: implications in psychotherapy.

The search to understand response to trauma has turned to the contribution of personality factors. The way people process the stressor event is critical in determining whether a trauma will be configured or not. Neuroscience shows that the brain does not store memories, but traces of information that are later used to create memories, which do not always express a completely factual picture of the past experience.

The use of sudden darkness in mice: a behavioural and pharmacological approach.

Sudden darkness is a non-invasive behavioural analysis tool which increases motor activity and decreases anxiety in rats. It has been shown in previous studies that in rats, dark test conditions can also modify behavioural responses to drugs acting on the dopaminergic system. The increasing use of transgenic mice in behavioural research has raised interest in developing new tests for phenotyping mice.

Prolactin induces adrenal hypertrophy.

Although adrenocorticotropic hormone is generally considered to play a major role in the regulation of adrenal glucocorticoid secretion, several reports have suggested that other pituitary hormones (e.g., prolactin) also play a significant role in the regulation of adrenal function.

A comparative study of the anticholinesterase activity of several antipsychotic agents.

Drug-induced inhibition of plasma and tissue cholinesterase activity was evaluated in rats. The dopamine receptor antagonists haloperidol (HALO), chlorpromazine (CPZ), thioridazine (THIO), fluphenazine (FLU), clozapine (CLO) and sulpiride (SULP), used as neuroleptics, were tested. Two biochemical parameters were measured in vitro: the minimal effective concentration (MEC) for cholinesterase inhibition and the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50).

Modulation by sudden darkness of apomorphine-induced behavioral responses.

Sudden darkness increases motor activity and decreases anxiety. In the present study, we focused on the role of dopaminergic mechanisms involved in the effects of sudden darkness. The influence of sudden darkness on the behavioral effects of low (0.

Puerperal blockade of cholecystokinin (CCK1) receptors disrupts maternal behavior in lactating rats.

Blockade of cholecystokinin (CCK) receptors potentiates the morphine-induced disruption of maternal behavior. The present study was undertaken to determine whether treatment with lorglumide, a CCK1 antagonist during late pregnancy and early lactation can influence the maternal behavior during lactation. A possible influence of this treatment on general activity was also assessed.

The brain decade in debate: VIII. Peptide hormones and behavior: cholecystokinin and prolactin.

This article is a transcription of an electronic symposium held on November 28, 2000 in which active researchers were invited by the Brazilian Society of Neuroscience and Behavior (SBNeC) to discuss the advances of the last decade in the peptide field with particular focus on central actions of prolactin and cholecystokinin. The comments in this symposium reflect the diversity of prolactin and cholecystokinin research and demonstrate how the field has matured. Since both peptides play a role in reproductive behaviors, particularly mother-infant interactions, this was the starting point of the discussion.

Morphine pretreatment increases opioid inhibitory effects on maternal behavior.

Ongoing maternal behavior in rats is under the inhibitory influence of opiates. Exposure to drugs of abuse may result in a progressive and enduring enhancement of their reinforcing effects. Little attention has been paid to the possibility that puerperal treatment with morphine may lead to sensitization to this drug, ultimately influencing the effects of opiates on maternal behavior.