Article date: 1987/7/28
PubMed ID: 2887252
Journal name: Brain research (ISSN: 0006-8993)
ABSTRACT
The present study was designed to clarify the mechanism of action of benzodiazepines (BDZ) injected into the central amygdala (ACE) and mammillary body (MB). When gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) at doses of 30 and 70 micrograms, muscimol (0.01 and 0.03 microgram), valproate (200 micrograms), atropine (20 micrograms) and cyproheptadine (3 micrograms) were bilaterally injected into ACE, a significant and marked increase in the punished responses of conflict schedule was observed. These drugs injected into MB failed to increase the punished responses. In MB, only noradrenaline (NA, 20 micrograms) showed the anticonflict action. NA 20 micrograms also produced the anticonflict action in ACE. These results suggest that the mechanism of anticonflict action of BDZ is different in brain areas. The GABA-ergic, cholinergic, serotonergic and NA-ergic systems seem to be involved in the mechanism of anticonflict action of BDZ in ACE. While the NA-ergic system appears to be operative in MB.
Author List: Kataoka Y, Shibata K, Yamashita K, Ueki S
Publication Types: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Substances mentioned in the article: Anti-Anxiety Agents; Muscimol; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; Atropine; Diazepam;
Mesh terms: Amygdala/drug effects; Animals; Anti-Anxiety Agents/pharmacology; Atropine/pharmacology; Conflict (Psychology); Diazepam/pharmacology; Male; Mammillary Bodies/drug effects; Microinjections; Muscimol/pharmacology; Punishment; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/pharmacology;