Use of negatively reinforcing electrical brain stimulation to detect conventional and nonconventional anxiolytics as well as an anxiogenic drug
by
Jung ME, Depoortere R, Oglesby MW.
Department of Pharmacology,
University of North Texas Health Science Center,
3500 Camp Bowie Boulevard,
Fort Worth, TX 76107-2699, USA.
Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2001 Jan;68(1):33-42


ABSTRACT

The present study determined whether anxiolytics such as diazepam (DZP), the benzodiazepine (BZD) receptor-selective agonist abecarnil (ABC), or the 5-HT1(A) agent buspirone (BUS) would increase the response latency of rats to switch-off electrical brain stimulation (EBS) of the periaqueductal gray (PAG). We also investigated the effects of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), a purported anxiogenic. Given acutely, DZP (2.5 and 5 mg/kg, ip) and ABC (0.5 and 1 mg/kg, ip) increased response latency. The BZD receptor antagonist flumazenil (10.0 mg/kg, ip) blocked these effects. Increasing the frequency of EBS reversed the effects of DZP and ABC, suggesting that motor disruption did not account for the increase in latency seen with these drugs. Given acutely, BUS (10.0 mg/kg, ip) also increased response latency, which was likely due to motor disruption because it was not reversed by increasing the frequency of EBS. When BUS (2.5 mg/kg, ip) was given every 8 h for 3 days, an increase in latency was also obtained, which was reversible by increasing the frequency of EBS. Finally, PTZ (10 and 20 mg/kg, ip) shortened the latency to respond. These results (1) suggest that DZP, ABC, and chronic BUS attenuate, whereas PTZ potentiates, the negative reinforcing stimulus (NRS) induced by PAG stimulation, and (2) support the hypothesis that the switch-off procedure accurately detects anxiolytic and anxiogenic drugs.
ECT
rTMS
Anxiety
Roborats
Diazepam
Buspirone
Flumazenil
Long-term ECT
Benzodiazepines
The Wired Society
No More Headaches
ECT: how does it work?
ECT, depression and TRH
ECT and phantom limb pain
The Transcranial Magnetic Stimulator
Therapeutic brain stimulation for affective disorders


Go To Good Drug Guide
Refs
HOME
HedWeb
BLTC Research
Designer Drugs
Paradise-Engineering
The Hedonistic Imperative
MDMA/Ecstasy: Utopian Pharmacology
When Is It Best To Take Crack Cocaine?