Ontogeny of Ultrasonic Vocalizations in the Woodmouse (Apodemus Sylvaticus L.). I: Temporal Organization

Behaviour ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 108 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 241-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcel Gyger ◽  
Francoise Schenk ◽  
André Pontet
Keyword(s):  
Locomotor Activity ◽  
Muscular Activity ◽  
Apodemus Sylvaticus ◽  
Temporal Organization ◽  
Ultrasonic Vocalizations ◽  
Total Production ◽  
Ontogenetic Changes ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Plus Maze ◽  
Contact Calls

AbstractWe have studied the ontogeny of ultrasonic vocalizations in the woodmouse, Apodemus sylvaticus, a high vocalizing palearctic murid species. Vocalization and behaviour were recorded as the pups were daily isolated for three minutes at ambiant temperature in two different experimental conditions: a plus-maze and a cup. The temporal organization of the vocalizations was analysed using log survivor functions of the intervals between the calls. These functions provided a reliable bout criterion indicating that ultrasound production by the youngest pups was clustered in bouts. Ontogenetic changes in the ultrasound production appeared different when measured in calls or in bouts per time unit. The call rate decreases from PND 11 onwards, whereas the bout rate remains elevated up to PND 15. Ultrasound production and locomotor activity arc associated from PND 11 onwards. The high ultrasound production by two-week old pups in the plus-maze is related to a very high locomotor activity in this experimental condition. We have identified four different steps in the ontogeny of ultrasonic vocalisations in the woodmouse: 1) Just after birth, the pups emit very few ultrasounds. 2) Around PND 3, there is a tremendous vocal output: the pups vocalize in a tonic mode, almost continuously. 3) The tonic mode goes gradually into a phasic mode in which ultrasounds are clustered in bouts; the total production decreases as the pups grow up. From PND 11 onward, most of the calls are produced during locomotion. 4) Around PND 15 there are mainly single calls, like in the adults. The very intense and frequent calls emitted during the second step are known to be distress calls. Since their production is accompanied by a high muscular activity, that might also delay cooling of the pups. The calls emitted by two-week old pups might serve as contact calls increasing the cohesion between the pups at the time of the first excursions out of the nest. In this way, these calls might diminish the predation risk and would facilitate a possible protection or retrieval by the mother.

Neuropharmacological Screening of Chiral and Non-chiral Phthalimide- Containing Compounds in Mice: in vivo and in silico Experiments

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 102-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Campos-Rodríguez ◽  
José G. Trujillo-Ferrara ◽  
Ameyali Alvarez-Guerra ◽  
Irán M. Cumbres Vargas ◽  
Roberto I. Cuevas-Hernández ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Locomotor Activity ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Chiral Molecules ◽  
Chiral Compounds ◽  
Plus Maze ◽  
In Silico Studies ◽  
The Central Nervous System

Background: Thalidomide, the first synthesized phthalimide, has demonstrated sedative- hypnotic and antiepileptic effects on the central nervous system. N-substituted phthalimides have an interesting chemical structure that confers important biological properties. Objective: Non-chiral (ortho and para bis-isoindoline-1,3-dione, phthaloylglycine) and chiral phthalimides (N-substituted with aspartate or glutamate) were synthesized and the sedative, anxiolytic and anticonvulsant effects were tested. Method: Homology modeling and molecular docking were employed to predict recognition of the analogues by hNMDA and mGlu receptors. The neuropharmacological activity was tested with the open field test and elevated plus maze (EPM). The compounds were tested in mouse models of acute convulsions induced either by pentylenetetrazol (PTZ; 90 mg/kg) or 4-aminopyridine (4-AP; 10 mg/kg). Results: The ortho and para non-chiral compounds at 562.3 and 316 mg/kg, respectively, decreased locomotor activity. Contrarily, the chiral compounds produced excitatory effects. Increased locomotor activity was found with S-TGLU and R-TGLU at 100, 316 and 562.3 mg/kg, and S-TASP at 316 and 562.3 mg/kg. These molecules showed no activity in the EPM test or PTZ model. In the 4-AP model, however, S-TGLU (237.1, 316 and 421.7 mg/kg) as well as S-TASP and R-TASP (316 mg/kg) lowered the convulsive and death rate. Conclusion: The chiral compounds exhibited a non-competitive NMDAR antagonist profile and the non-chiral molecules possessed selective sedative properties. The NMDAR exhibited stereoselectivity for S-TGLU while it is not a preference for the aspartic derivatives. The results appear to be supported by the in silico studies, which evidenced a high affinity of phthalimides for the hNMDAR and mGluR type 1.

scholarly journals The temporal organization of mouse ultrasonic vocalizations

PLoS ONE ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. e0199929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregg A. Castellucci ◽  
Daniel Calbick ◽  
David McCormick
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Organization ◽  
Ultrasonic Vocalizations

scholarly journals Synergistic Action of Sodium Selenite with some Antidepressants and Diazepam in Mice

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 270
Author(s):  
Ewa Kędzierska ◽  
Lila Dąbkowska ◽  
Paweł Obierzyński ◽  
Magdalena Polakowska ◽  
Ewa Poleszak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Locomotor Activity ◽  
Sodium Selenite ◽  
Elevated Plus Maze ◽  
Synergistic Action ◽  
Elevated Plus Maze Test ◽  
Maze Test ◽  
Plus Maze ◽  
Immobility Time ◽  
Combined Administration ◽  
Antidepressant Action

Background: The antidepressant and anxiolytic effects of selenium (Se) have been proven in many studies. This work was aimed at confirming these activities of its inorganic form—sodium selenite—and examining the possible synergy of action with antidepressants and diazepam. Methods: The antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like activity of Se was assessed using forced swim tests (FSTs) and elevated plus-maze test (EPMs). Spontaneous locomotor activity was measured using photoresistor actimeters. The experiments were conducted on male Albino Swiss mice. Results: Sodium selenite (0.5 mg/kg) reduced the immobility time in the FSTs and extended time spent in the open arms of EPMs without affecting locomotor activity The combined administration of Se at an ineffective dose (0.25 mg/kg) together with imipramine (15 mg/kg), fluoxetine (5 mg/kg), tianeptine (10 mg/kg), but not with reboxetine (2.5 mg/kg), resulted in a reduction of immobility time in FSTs, and with a threshold dose of diazepam (0.25 mg/kg) led to the prolongation of time spent in the open arms of the EPM. Moreover, the antidepressant-like effect of Se (0.5 mg/kg) was significantly reduced by pretreatment with p-chlorophenylalanine (100 mg/kg). Conclusions: The results may indicate the participation of serotonergic transmission to antidepressant action of Se and GABA-ergic transmission to its anxiolytic effects.

scholarly journals Diazepam attenuates the effects of cocaine on locomotion, 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations and phasic dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens of rats

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
William N. Sanchez ◽  
Jose A. Pochapski ◽  
Leticia F. Jessen ◽  
Marek Ellenberger ◽  
Rainer K. Schwarting ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Locomotor Activity ◽  
Nucleus Accumbens ◽  
Dopamine Release ◽  
Ultrasonic Vocalizations ◽  
Control Group ◽  
List Type ◽  
Adult Rats ◽  
Fast Scan Cyclic Voltammetry ◽  
Entire Duration ◽  
Male Wistar Rats

AbstractBackground and PurposeCurrently, no effective drug exists to treat cocaine use disorders, which affect millions of people worldwide. Benzodiazepines are potential therapeutic candidates, as microdialysis and voltammetry studies have shown that they can decrease dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens of rodents. In addition, we have recently shown that diazepam blocks the increase in dopamine release and the affective marker 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) induced by DL-amphetamine in rats.Experimental ApproachHere we tested whether administration of 2.5 mg·kg−1 diazepam (i.p.) in adult male Wistar rats could block the effects of 20 mg·kg−1 cocaine (i.p.) on electrically evoked phasic dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens measured by fast-scan cyclic voltammetry, as well as 50-kHz USV and locomotor activity.Key ResultsCocaine injection increased evoked dopamine release up to 3-fold within 5 min and the increase was significantly higher than baseline for at least 90 min. The injection of diazepam 15 min later attenuated the cocaine effect by nearly 50% and this attenuation was maintained for at least 30 min. Stimulant drugs, natural rewards and reward predictive cues are known to evoke 50-kHz USV in adult rats. In the present study, cocaine increased the number of 50-kHz USV of the flat, step, trill, and mixed kinds by 12-fold. This effect was at maximum 5 min after cocaine injection, decreased with time and lasted at least 40 min. Diazepam significantly blocked this effect for the entire duration of the session. The distance travelled by control rats during a 40-min session of exploration in an open field was at maximum in the first 5 min and decayed progressively until the end of the session. Cocaine-treated rats travelled significantly longer distances when compared to the control group, while diazepam significantly attenuated cocaine-induced locomotion by up to 50%.Conclusions and implicationThese results suggest that the neurochemical, affective, and stimulant effects of cocaine can be mitigated by diazepam.What is already knownDiazepam decreases dopamine release in the rodent nucleus accumbens (NAc) and reduces some effects produced by DL-amphetamine.What this study addsDiazepam attenuated the increase in phasic dopamine release caused by cocaine.Diazepam blocked the effect of cocaine on 50-kHz USV and locomotor activity.Clinical significanceThis study demonstrates that diazepam can block specific effects of cocaine that likely contribute to addiction.

scholarly journals Corticotropin-releasing factor infusion in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis of lactating mice alters maternal care and induces behavioural phenotypes in offspring

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerstin Camile Creutzberg ◽  
Érika Kestering-Ferreira ◽  
Thiago Wendt Viola ◽  
Luis Eduardo Wearick-Silva ◽  
Rodrigo Orso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Locomotor Activity ◽  
Maternal Care ◽  
Corticotropin Releasing Factor ◽  
Maternal Behaviour ◽  
Stria Terminalis ◽  
Bed Nucleus ◽  
Plus Maze ◽  
Maternal Brain ◽  
Nesting Material ◽  
Peripartum Period

AbstractThe peripartum period is accompanied by numerous physiological and behavioural adaptations organised by the maternal brain. These changes are essential for adequate expression of maternal behaviour, thereby ensuring proper development of the offspring. The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) plays a key role in a variety of behaviours accompanying stress, anxiety, and depression. There is also evidence that CRF contributes to maladaptations during the peripartum period. We investigated the effects of CRF in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) of lactating mice during maternal care and analysed locomotor activity and anxiety-like behaviour in the offspring. The BNST has been implicated in anxiety behaviour and regulation of the stress response. The effects of intra-BNST CRF administration were compared with those induced by the limited bedding (LB) procedure, a model that produces altered maternal behaviour. BALB/cJ dams were exposed to five infusions of CRF or saline into the BNST in the first weeks after birth while the LB dams were exposed to limited nesting material from postnatal days (P) 2–9. Maternal behaviour was recorded in intercalated days, from P1-9. Offspring anxiety-like behaviour was assessed during adulthood using the open-field, elevated plus-maze, and light/dark tests. Both intra-BNST CRF and LB exposure produced altered maternal care, represented by decreased arched-back nursing and increased frequency of exits from the nest. These changes in maternal care resulted in robust sex-based differences in the offspring’s behavioural responses during adulthood. Females raised by CRF-infused dams exhibited increased anxiety-like behaviour, whereas males presented a significant decrease in anxiety. On the other hand, both males and females raised by dams exposed to LB showed higher locomotor activity. Our study demonstrates that maternal care is impaired by intra-BNST CRF administrations, and these maladaptations are similar to exposure to adverse early environments. These procedures, however, produce distinct phenotypes in mice during young adulthood and suggest sex-based differences in the susceptibility to poor maternal care.

Differential Recovery Speed of Activity and Metabolic Rhythms in Rats After an Experimental Protocol of Shift-Work

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadia Saderi ◽  
Adrián Báez-Ruiz ◽  
Lucia E. Azuara-Álvarez ◽  
Carolina Escobar ◽  
Roberto C. Salgado-Delgado
Keyword(s):  
Locomotor Activity ◽  
Shift Work ◽  
Recovery Period ◽  
Recovery Phase ◽  
Serum Glucose ◽  
Temporal Organization ◽  
Nocturnal Feeding ◽  
Time Required ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Impact

The circadian system drives the temporal organization of body physiology in relation to the changing daily environment. Shift-work (SW) disrupts this temporal order and is associated with the loss of homeostasis and metabolic syndrome. In a rodent model of SW based on forced activity in the rest phase for 4 weeks, we describe the occurrence of circadian desynchrony, as well as metabolic and liver dysfunction. To provide better evidence for the impact of altered timing of activity, this study explored how long it takes to recover metabolic rhythms and behavior. Rats were submitted to experimental SW for 4 weeks and then were left to recover for one week. Daily locomotor activity, food intake patterns, serum glucose and triglycerides, and the expression levels of hepatic Pparα, Srebp-1c, Pepck, Bmal1 and Per2 were assessed during the recovery period and were compared with expected data according to a control condition. SW triggered the circadian desynchronization of all of the analyzed parameters. A difference in the time required for realignment was observed among parameters. Locomotor activity achieved the expected phase on day 2, whereas the nocturnal feeding pattern was restored on the sixth recovery day. Daily rhythms of plasma glucose and triglycerides and of Pparα, Pepck and Bmal1 expression in the liver resynchronized on the seventh day, whereas Srebp-1c and Per2 persisted arrhythmic for the entire recovery week. SW does not equally affect behavior and metabolic rhythms, leading to internal desynchrony during the recovery phase.

Effects of Ethanol, Chlordiazepoxide, and MK-801 on Performance in the Elevated-Plus Maze and on Locomotor Activity

1994 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 596-601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugh E. Criswell ◽  
Darin J. Knapp ◽  
David H. Overstreet ◽  
George R. Breese
Keyword(s):  
Locomotor Activity ◽  
Elevated Plus Maze ◽  
Mk 801 ◽  
Plus Maze

Nicotine-induced anxiogenic-like behaviours of rats in the elevated plus-maze: possible role of NMDA receptors of the central amygdala

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 555-563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Reza Zarrindast ◽  
Arash Aghamohammadi-Sereshki ◽  
Ameneh Rezayof ◽  
Parvin Rostami
Keyword(s):  
Locomotor Activity ◽  
Nmda Receptor ◽  
Nmda Receptors ◽  
Elevated Plus Maze ◽  
Nmda Receptor Antagonist ◽  
Central Amygdala ◽  
Receptor System ◽  
Plus Maze ◽  
Male Wistar Rats

The objective of the present study was to investigate the possible role of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor system of the central amygdala (CeA) in the anxiogenic-like effect of nicotine. Male Wistar rats with cannulas aimed to the CeA were submitted to the elevated plus-maze (EPM). Intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of nicotine (0.6 and 0.8 mg/kg) decreased percentage open arm time spent (%OAT) and percentage open arm entries (%OAE), but not locomotor activity, indicating an anxiogenic-like response. Bilateral intra-CeA microinjection of NMDA (0.005–0.1 μ g/rat) decreased %OAT, but not %OAE and locomotor activity. Moreover, intra-CeA microinjection of NMDA (0.05 μ g) with an ineffective dose of nicotine (0.4 mg/kg, i.p.) reduced %OAT and %OAE without effect on locomotor activity. On the other hand, intra-CeA microinjection of the NMDA receptor antagonist D-AP5 (0.05–0.5 μ g/rat) increased both %OAT and %OAE, showing an anxiolytic-like effect of the drug. Co-administration of the same doses of D-AP5 with nicotine (0.6 mg/kg, i.p.) increased %OAT and %OAE, but not locomotor activity. Intra-CeA microinjection of D-AP5 reversed the response induced by NMDA (0.1 μ g/rat) in the EPM. The results may support the possible involvement of glutamate transmission, through NMDA receptors of central amygdala in the anxiogenic-like effect of nicotine in the EPM task.

Environmental Influence on Locomotor Activity in Nephrops Norvegicus (Crustacea: Decapoda)

1980 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. H. Moller ◽  
E. Naylor
Keyword(s):  
Locomotor Activity ◽  
Light Intensity ◽  
Environmental Influence ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Nephrops Norvegicus ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Emergence Patterns ◽  
Role Of Light ◽  
Trawl Catches

Diel variations in the emergence of the burrowing prawn Nephrops norvegicus (L.) have been investigated by direct field observations (Chapman & Rice, 1971; Chapman, Johnstone & Rice, 1975; Chapman & Howard, 1979; Atkinson & Naylor, 1976), and indirectly by sequential trawling during 24 h periods (Höglund & Dybern, 1965; Simpson, 1965; Hillis, 1971; Farmer, 1974; Atkinson & Naylor, 1976; Oakley, 1979). Peak emergence appears to be related to temporal and depth-dependent variations in daylight penetration, since Nephrops are apparently nocturnal in shallow waters, crepuscular as the depth increases, and diurnal at the greatest depths of their occurrence. This lends support to the suggestion that emergence occurs at an optimum light intensity (Hillis, 1971; Chapman, Priestley & Robertson, 1972; Chapman, et al., 1975; Chapman & Howard, 1979). However, additional factors influencing emergence of Nephrops from their burrows have also to be taken in account, since laboratory studies of locomotor activity in Nephrops have consistently revealed nocturnal activity patterns in light-dark (LD) regimes, with light inhibiting locomotor activity even at extremely low irradiance levels (Arechiga & Atkinson, 1975; Atkinson & Naylor, 1973, 1976; Naylor & Atkinson, 1976). Moreover, Hammond & Naylor (1977 a) have presented qualitative evidence that the nocturnal locomotor activity peak appears to be synchronized by falling light intensity at dusk. The differences between these experimental results and emergence patterns deduced from trawl catches and underwater observations of Nephrops have not been fully resolved by studies of the role of light intensity and of gradual light transitions (Arechiga & Atkinson, 1975; Hammond & Naylor, 1977 a, b). Thus the behavioural responses of Nephrops both in the field and in the laboratory need to be assessed in relation to more accurately quantified light changes. Also, despite earlier evaluation of the problem (Atkinson & Naylor, 1976; Hammond & Naylor, 1977a) it is necessary to reconsider the possibility that the patterns of locomotor activity recorded in the laboratory are influenced by experimental conditions, as has been demonstrated for minnows (Jones, 1956), and flatfish (Verheijen & de Groot, 1967).

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