Reversible inactivation of brain areas is a useful method for inferring brain-behavior relationships. Infusion of GABA or of the GABA receptor agonist muscimol is considered one interesting reversible inactivation method because it may not affect fibers of passage and may therefore be compared to axon-sparing types of lesions. This article reviews the data obtained with this method in learning ...

Pavlovian stimuli can markedly elevate instrumental responding, an effect known as Pavlovian-instrumental transfer (PIT). As the role of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in PIT is yet unknown, we examined the effects of transient VTA inactivation by direct microinjections of a mixture of the GABA(A) and GABA(B) receptor agonists, muscimol and baclofen. Results reveal that PIT, i.e., the increas...

The medial septal area (MSA) contains cholinergic and GABAergic neurons that send projections to the hippocampus. These neurons have both cholinergic and GABAergic receptors. This study was designed to determine the effects of intraseptal infusions of cholinergic and GABAergic drugs, which alter mnemonic processes, on hippocampal acetylcholine (ACh) release. Hippocampal ACh release was assessed...

Introduction: : It seems that Valeriana officinalis (valerian) extract through gamma-amino-butyric acid A (GABAA) receptor possesses analgesic effect. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of muscimol and picrotoxin on pain sensitivity in male rats pretreated with valerian extract using the formalin test. Methods: Thirty-five male rats weighing 200-250g in standard temp...

PURPOSE To clarify whether visual inputs of the tectothalamocortical pathway influence motion processing within the lateral suprasylvian (LS) area of the cat. METHODS This study was conducted in five cats. Tungsten microelectrodes were used for recording visual evoked potentials. The electrodes were introduced into the LS area. An array of 120 randomly located dots was projected onto the stim...