When the central nervous system (CNS) develops a muscular activation pattern to accomplish a particular isometric task, it clearly uses information concerning the external task requirements. These task requirements serve as inputs to neural transformations that output muscular activations. However, the nature of the inputs is not exactly known. Electromyographic (EMG) signals from eight muscles...

We studied the roles of mGlu2/3 receptors (mGlu2/3) in glutamatergic transmission at corticostriatal synapses in mice brain slices. Perfusion of the selective mGlu2/3 agonists LY354740 and L-CCG1 caused the long term depression (LTD) of evoked synaptic responses. Photonic and electronic microscopy showed mGlu2/3 on axonal fibers and glial processes but not on striatal dendrites. mGlu2/3-LTD was...

This investigation was designed to study the characteristics of a marker for harmonic processing and to test whether it could be used for differentiating harmonic processing capabilities. The ®rst three chords of an ordinary musical cadenca were presented to the left ear to establish a harmonic context followed by a harmonic or non-harmonic target tone. Cadencas were presented rapidly and rando...

We report the existence and anatomical distribution to nociceptin/orphanin-FQ (N/O FQ)-like immunoreactivity in neurons and fibers in the perioesophageal ganglia of the snail (Helix aspersa). Intracellular recordings from perioesophageal ganglion neurons showed that the application of 10 mM N/O FQ produced an excitatory action in 22% of the neurons studied and an inhibitory action in 33% of the...

The involvement of nitric oxide (NO) in cerebral blood flow (CBF) stimulation by acetazolamide was studied in anaesthetised, mechanically ventilated Wistar rats. CBF was monitored by laser Doppler scanning. Acetazolamide induced a long-lasting significant rCBF-increase. Application of N-Nitro-l-arginine (L-NNA), an inhibitor of all NO synthetases (NOS), prevented CBF stimulation by acetazolamid...

This work was designed to examine whether brain endomorphins (EM1 and EM2), the endogenous m-opioid ligands, are involved in electroacupuncture (EA)-induced analgesia in the mice. C57BL/6J mice were given EA for 30 min and the effect of EA-induced analgesia was assessed by radiant heat tail ̄ick latency (TFL). Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of m-opioid receptor antagonist D-Phe-Cys-...

Recent studies indicate that the cognitive processes mediated by the prefrontal cortex, such as working memory, are impaired during normal aging. These disturbances in cortical function may be a consequence of abnormalities in neocortical circuits, even though the numbers of cortical neurons are preserved in normal aging. We performed retrograde tract-tracing of cortical projections connecting ...

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis whereby eye movements as such may be an important factor in the development of motion sickness (MS). The horizontal eye movements of 27 subjects were measured during earth vertical axis rotation (EVAR) and during off vertical axis rotation (OVAR). Two groups were set up, one including subjects who suffered severe MS during the test, and the o...

Separate studies have demonstrated that vibration and fatigue of ankle muscles alter postural control. The purpose of the present experiment was to investigate the effect of ankle muscle vibration on the regulation of postural sway in bipedal stance following ankle muscle fatigue. Center of foot pressure displacements were recorded using a force platform. Results showed a similar increase in po...

Difficulties in phonological processing are currently considered one of the major causes for dyslexia. Nine dyslexic children and eight control children were investigated using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during nonoral reading of German words. All subjects silently read words and pronounceable non-words in an event related potentials (ERP) investigation, as well. The fMRI show...