An automated method to assay locomotor activity in third instar Drosophila melanogaster larvae.

Introduction: The purpose of these studies was to describe a novel application of an automated data acquisition/data reduction system, DanioVision™ by Noldus. DanioVision™ has the ability to detect changes in locomotor activity in third instar Drosophila melanogaster larvae. The noncompetitive GABAA receptor antagonist picrotoxin (PTX), was used as a pharmacologic agent to decrease locomotor activity.

Tolterodine does not affect memory assessed by passive-avoidance response test in mice.

Antimuscarinics are first-line pharmacotherapy for the treatment of overactive bladder. However, because central nervous system cholinergic neurotransmission is involved in cognition, and the central nervous system-permeable antimuscarinics scopolamine and oxybutynin affect memory, cognitive impairment has been noted as a possible side effect of these drugs. We evaluated the effect of tolterodine, an antimuscarinic for overactive bladder, in a mouse passive-avoidance model of memory.

Timecourse of recovery after surgical intraperitoneal implantation of radiotelemetry transmitters in rats.

Introduction: Rats are used in drug safety because they satisfy regulatory guidelines, there is a large historical database, and their cardiovascular systems respond similarly to humans. The use of radiotelemetry offers a variety of advantages over non-invasive techniques. Implantation of telemetry devices for cardiovascular assessments in rats is not novel, but the time to recover from the surgery has not been reported.

Rapid uncoupling of serotonin-1A receptors in rat hippocampus by 17beta-estradiol in vitro requires protein kinases A and C.

17beta-Estradiol decreases R(+)8-OH-DPAT-stimulated [(35)S]GTPgammaS binding [an index of serotonin-1A (5-HT(1A)) receptor coupling] through the activation of estrogen receptors. We hypothesize that this occurs as a result of activation of protein kinase A (PKA) and/or protein kinase C (PKC) and phosphorylation of 5-HT(1A) receptors. Hippocampus from ovariectomized rats was incubated with 17beta-estradiol in HEPES buffer (37 degrees C).