Tachykinin immunoreactivity is found in a ventromedial spinal plexus in the lamprey. Neurons in this plexus project bilaterally and are thus in a position to modulate locomotor networks on both sides of the spinal cord. We have examined the effects of the tachykinin substance P on NMDA-evoked locomotor activity. Brief (10 min) application of tachykinin neuropeptides results in a prolonged conce...

Long-term treatments with dopaminergic agents are associated with adverse effects, including augmentation. Augmentation consists of an exacerbation of restless legs syndrome (a sleep-related movement disorder) symptoms during treatment compared to those experienced during the period before therapy was initiated. The objective of this study was to examine locomotor activity in rats after long-te...

Commissural interneurons in the lamprey coordinate activity of the hemisegmental oscillators to ensure proper left-right alternation during swimming. The activity of interneuronal axons at the ventral commissure was studied together with potential target motoneurons during fictive locomotion in the isolated lamprey spinal cord. To estimate the unperturbed activity of the interneurons, axonal re...

Caffeine is the psychostimulant drug most consumed in the world. This drug is present in food, beverages and medicines marketed for individuals of all ages. In spite of this, caffeine effects on adolescents are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences on caffeine-induced locomotor stimulant or depressant effects in adolescent and adult rats. Adolescent (37-40 day...

Many behaviors and physiological processes including locomotor activity, feeding, sleep, mating, and migration are dependent on daily or seasonally reoccurring, external stimuli. In D. melanogaster, one of the best-studied circadian behaviors is locomotion. The fruit fly is considered a diurnal (day active/night inactive) insect, based on locomotor-activity recordings of single, socially naive ...

The methanolic leaf extract of Thuja occidentalis was evaluated for possible sedative activities in mice. Sedative activity was evaluated by using hole cross, open field, thiopental sodium-induced sleeping time and elevated-plus maze (EPM) tests at 200mg/kg and 400 mg/kg.  The extract decreased the locomotor activity of mice in hole cross, open field and EPM test and showed the remarka...

The activation of purinergic receptors modulates central pattern generators controlling rhythmic motor behaviors, including respiration in rodents and swimming in frog tadpoles. The present study aimed to determine whether purinergic signaling also modulates the mammalian locomotor central pattern generator. This was investigated by using isolated spinal cord preparations obtained from neonatal...

Chronic cocaine administration can produce tolerance or sensitization to locomotor activating effects, depending on the treatment paradigm. The effects of chronic, continuous cocaine were measured on locomotor activity for 1 hr daily for 7 days. Cocaine produced significant increases in locomotor activity 4 hr after osmotic minipumps were implanted, and an even higher level of activity after 24...

objective: the nucleus accumbens (nac) receive histaminergic neurons from tuberomammillary nuclei. there are reports indicating that central histamine systems are involved in many physiological behavioral processes, including anxiety. the aim of the present study was to assess whether the histaminergic system of the nac is involved in anxiety-related behaviors. methods:   rats   were   anesthet...

objectives: crocin, a constituent of saffron and yellow gardenia, possesses anti-nociceptive effects. in the present study, we investigated the effects of intra-fourth ventricle injection of crocin in a rat model of orofacial pain. the contribution of opioid system was assessed using intra-fourth ventricle injection of naloxone, an opioid receptor antagonist. materials and methods: a guide cann...