scholarly journals The Alpha-1 Adrenergic Receptor Antagonist Prazosin Reduces Binge-Like Eating in Rats

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1569
Author(s):  
Callum Hicks ◽  
Valentina Sabino ◽  
Pietro Cottone
Keyword(s):  
Receptor Antagonist ◽  
Adrenergic Receptor ◽  
Fixed Ratio ◽  
Progressive Ratio ◽  
Noradrenergic System ◽  
Palatable Food ◽  
Schedule Of Reinforcement ◽  
Male Wistar Rats

Background: Binge-eating disorder is a pervasive addiction-like disorder that is defined by excessive and uncontrollable consumption of food within brief periods of time. The aim of the current study was to examine the role of the brain noradrenergic system in binge-like eating through the use of the alpha-1 adrenergic receptor antagonist prazosin. Methods: For this purpose, we employed a limited access model whereby male Wistar rats were allowed to nosepoke for either chow (Chow rats) or a sugary, highly palatable food (Palatable rats) for 1 h/day. The effects of prazosin (0, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/kg, i.p.) were tested in a fixed ratio 1 (FR1) and progressive ratio (PR) schedule of reinforcement. Results: The results show that prazosin preferentially reduced the responses for palatable food in a FR1 reinforcement schedule; when tested in a PR schedule of reinforcement, prazosin increased breakpoint in both Chow and Palatable rats, but more potently and more efficaciously in the latter. Our results suggest that prazosin treatment preferentially increased the motivational properties of the palatable diet. Conclusions: The current findings provide the characterization of the effects of prazosin on binge-like eating and offer support to the existing literature showing the important role of the noradrenergic system in addiction-like behavior.

Inhibition of Glutamatergic Synaptic Input to Spinal Lamina IIo Neurons by Presynaptic α2-Adrenergic Receptors

2002 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 1938-1947 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Zhen Pan ◽  
De-Pei Li ◽  
Hui-Lin Pan
Keyword(s):  
Receptor Antagonist ◽  
Synaptic Input ◽  
Adrenergic Receptors ◽  
Adrenergic Receptor ◽  
Dorsal Root ◽  
Primary Afferents ◽  
Noradrenergic System ◽  
Analgesic Action ◽  
Adrenergic Agonists ◽  
Excitatory Synaptic Input

Activation of spinal α2-adrenergic receptors by the descending noradrenergic system and α2-adrenergic agonists produces analgesia. However, the sites and mechanisms of the analgesic action of spinally administered α2-adrenergic receptor agonists such as clonidine are not fully known. The dorsal horn neurons in the outer zone of lamina II (lamina IIo) are important for processing nociceptive information from C-fiber primary afferents. In the present study, we tested a hypothesis that activation of presynaptic α2-adrenergic receptors by clonidine inhibits the excitatory synaptic input to lamina IIo neurons. Whole cell voltage-clamp recordings were performed on visualized lamina IIo neurons in the spinal cord slice of rats. The miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) were recorded in the presence of tetrodotoxin, bicuculline, and strychnine. The evoked EPSCs were obtained by electrical stimulation of the dorsal root entry zone or the attached dorsal root. Both mEPSCs and evoked EPSCs were abolished by application of 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione. Clonidine (10 μM) significantly decreased the frequency of mEPSCs from 5.8 ± 0.9 to 2.7 ± 0.6 Hz (means ± SE) without altering the amplitude and the decay time constant of mEPSCs in 25 of 27 lamina IIo neurons. Yohimbine (2 μM, an α2-adrenergic receptor antagonist), but not prazosin (2 μM, an α1-adrenergic receptor antagonist), blocked the inhibitory effect of clonidine on the mEPSCs. Clonidine (1–20 μM, n = 8) also significantly attenuated the peak amplitude of evoked EPSCs in a concentration-dependent manner. The effect of clonidine on evoked EPSCs was abolished in the presence of yohimbine ( n = 5). These data suggest that clonidine inhibits the excitatory synaptic input to lamina IIo neurons through activation of α2-adrenergic receptors located on the glutamatergic afferent terminals. Presynaptic inhibition of glutamate release from primary afferents onto lamina IIoneurons likely plays an important role in the analgesic action produced by activation of the descending noradrenergic system and α2-adrenergic agonists.

scholarly journals Propranolol, but not naloxone, enhances spinal reflex bladder activity and reduces pudendal inhibition in cats

2015 ◽  
Vol 308 (1) ◽  
pp. R42-R49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc J. Rogers ◽  
Zhiying Xiao ◽  
Bing Shen ◽  
Jicheng Wang ◽  
Zeyad Schwen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Receptor Antagonist ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Adrenergic Receptor ◽  
Bladder Capacity ◽  
Spinal Reflex ◽  
Saline Control ◽  
Tibial Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Bladder Activity ◽  
Propranolol Treatment

This study examined the role of β-adrenergic and opioid receptors in spinal reflex bladder activity and in the inhibition induced by pudendal nerve stimulation (PNS) or tibial nerve stimulation (TNS). Spinal reflex bladder contractions were induced by intravesical infusion of 0.25% acetic acid in α-chloralose-anesthetized cats after an acute spinal cord transection (SCT) at the thoracic T9/T10 level. PNS or TNS at 5 Hz was applied to inhibit these spinal reflex contractions at 2 and 4 times the threshold intensity (T) for inducing anal or toe twitch, respectively. During a cystrometrogram (CMG), PNS at 2T and 4T significantly ( P < 0.05) increased bladder capacity from 58.0 ± 4.7% to 85.8 ± 10.3% and 96.5 ± 10.7%, respectively, of saline control capacity, while TNS failed to inhibit spinal reflex bladder contractions. After administering propranolol (3 mg/kg iv, a β1/β2-adrenergic receptor antagonist), the effects of 2T and 4T PNS on bladder capacity were significantly ( P < 0.05) reduced to 64.5 ± 9.5% and 64.7 ± 7.3%, respectively, of the saline control capacity. However, the residual PNS inhibition (about 10% increase in capacity) was still statistically significant ( P < 0.05). Propranolol treatment also significantly ( P = 0.0019) increased the amplitude of bladder contractions but did not change the control bladder capacity. Naloxone (1 mg/kg iv, an opioid receptor antagonist) had no effect on either spinal reflex bladder contractions or PNS inhibition. At the end of experiments, hexamethonium (10 mg/kg iv, a ganglionic blocker) significantly ( P < 0.05) reduced the amplitude of the reflex bladder contractions. This study indicates an important role of β1/β2-adrenergic receptors in pudendal inhibition and spinal reflex bladder activity.

Role of supraspinal and spinal α1-adrenergic receptor subtypes in micturition reflex in conscious rats

2010 ◽  
Vol 299 (4) ◽  
pp. F785-F791 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masaru Yoshizumi ◽  
Kazumasa Matsumoto-Miyai ◽  
Akihiko Yonezawa ◽  
Masahito Kawatani
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Receptor Antagonist ◽  
Adrenergic Receptors ◽  
Adrenergic Receptor ◽  
Intrathecal Injection ◽  
Receptor Subtypes ◽  
Lumbosacral Spinal Cord ◽  
Micturition Reflex ◽  
Conscious Rats

α1-Adrenergic receptor subtypes are widely distributed in the central nervous system and are involved in autonomic functions such as micturition. We investigated the presence and the role of supraspinal and/or spinal α1-adrenergic receptors in modulating the micturition reflex in conscious female Wistar rats. The expression of α1-adrenergic receptor subtypes in rat brain and lumbosacral spinal cord was studied using RT-PCR. Continuous-infusion cystometrograms were obtained in conscious rats, and α1-adrenergic receptor antagonists were administered via intracerebroventricular or intrathecal routes. The mRNA expression of α1A-, α1B-, and α1D-adrenergic receptors was detected in rat brain (midbrain and pons) and lumbosacral spinal cord (dorsal and ventral parts of spinal cord). In addition, intracerebroventricular injection of the α1-adrenergic receptor antagonist tamsulosin (1–10 μg), the selective α1A-adrenergic receptor antagonist silodosin (1–10 μg), and the selective α1D-adrenergic receptor antagonist BMY 7378 (1–10 μg) significantly prolonged the intercontraction interval (ICI) but did not alter maximum voiding pressure (MVP). Although intrathecal injection of BMY 7378 (0.0001–10 μg) did not affect ICI, tamsulosin and silodosin prolonged ICI in a dose-dependent manner. MVP was significantly reduced by intrathecal injection of tamsulosin (10 μg) but not by silodosin or BMY 7378 (0.0001–10 μg). Supraspinal α1A- and α1D-adrenergic receptors are apparently important for the regulation of reflex-bladder activity in conscious rats. Noradrenergic projection from the brain stem to the lumbosacral spinal cord may promote the afferent limb rather than the efferent limb of the micturition reflex pathway via α1A-adrenergic receptors.

Attenuation of arteriolar alpha 2-adrenoceptor sensitivity during endotoxemia

1994 ◽  
Vol 267 (6) ◽  
pp. H2171-H2178
Author(s):  
C. H. Baker ◽  
E. T. Sutton ◽  
J. M. Price ◽  
M. Ortiz-Tweed ◽  
S. Nessellroth
Keyword(s):  
Receptor Antagonist ◽  
Adrenergic Receptor ◽  
Receptor Agonist ◽  
Receptor Activity ◽  
Group I ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Male Wistar Rats ◽  
Group Ii ◽  
Arteriolar Diameter ◽  
Adrenergic Receptor Agonist

It is well documented that adrenergic responses after endotoxin (ENDT) administration are greatly reduced. The hypothesis of this study is that either alpha 1- or alpha 2-receptor activity is attenuated and the other receptor type is minimally affected during ENDT shock. Reactivity of the arterioles of left cremaster muscles of male Wistar rats anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium was studied using videomicroscopy. Femoral mean arterial pressure and first-, second-, third-, and fourth-order arteriolar diameters were measured. In group I, the decreases in arteriolar diameter and half-maximal effective dose (ED50) values with increasing phenylephrine concentration (alpha 1-adrenergic receptor agonist) were similar in all four branching orders before and after ENDT. In group II, the decreases in arteriolar diameter with increasing clonidine concentrations (alpha 2-adrenergic receptor agonist) were effectively attenuated by ENDT, and ED50 values were increased above control in all four branching orders. In group III, idazoxan (alpha 2-receptor antagonist) effectively blocked the vasoconstrictor effects of clonidine but did not affect the responses to phenylephrine before or after ENDT in all four arteriolar orders. In group IV, prazosin (alpha 1-adrenergic receptor antagonist) blocked the vasoconstrictor effects of phenylephrine before and after the administration of ENDT. However, vasoconstriction due to clonidine post-ENDT even at maximal dosage (10(-3) M), was greatly attenuated in all four branching orders as in group II. It is concluded that during endotoxemia the reduced adrenergic vasoconstrictor response of cremaster muscle arterioles is the result of attenuated activity of alpha 2-adrenergic receptors with minimal if any effects on alpha 1-adrenergic receptor activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

scholarly journals Sucrose self-administration and CNS activation in the rat

2011 ◽  
Vol 300 (4) ◽  
pp. R876-R884 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dianne P. Figlewicz ◽  
Jennifer L. Bennett-Jay ◽  
Sepideh Kittleson ◽  
Alfred J. Sipols ◽  
Aryana Zavosh
Keyword(s):  
Energy Homeostasis ◽  
Food Reward ◽  
Fixed Ratio ◽  
Progressive Ratio ◽  
Stria Terminalis ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
Bed Nucleus ◽  
Medial Hypothalamus ◽  
Fos Expression

We have previously reported that administration of insulin into the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus decreases motivation for sucrose, assessed by a self-administration task, in rats. Because the pattern of central nervous system (CNS) activation in association with sucrose self-administration has not been evaluated, in the present study, we measured expression of c-Fos as an index of neuronal activation. We trained rats to bar-press for sucrose, according to a fixed-ratio (FR) or progressive-ratio (PR) schedule and mapped expression of c-Fos immunoreactivity in the CNS, compared with c-Fos expression in handled controls. We observed a unique expression of c-Fos in the medial hypothalamus (the arcuate, paraventricular, retrochiasmatic, dorsomedial, and ventromedial nuclei) in association with the onset of PR performance, and expression of c-Fos in the lateral hypothalamus and the bed nucleus of stria terminalis in association with the onset of FR performance. c-Fos expression was increased in the nucleus accumbens of both FR and PR rats. Our study emphasizes the importance of both hypothalamic energy homeostasis circuitry and limbic circuitry in the performance of a food reward task. Given the role of the medial hypothalamus in regulation of energy balance, our study suggests that this circuitry may contribute to reward regulation within the larger context of energy homeostasis.

scholarly journals Dual orexin receptor antagonist induces changes in core body temperature in rats after exercise

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tristan Martin ◽  
Yves Dauvilliers ◽  
Ouma-Chandrou Koumar ◽  
Valentine Bouet ◽  
Thomas Freret ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Temperature ◽  
Receptor Antagonist ◽  
Core Body Temperature ◽  
Treadmill Running ◽  
Orexin Receptors ◽  
Dose Effects ◽  
Male Wistar Rats ◽  
Core Body ◽  
Dose Dependent

AbstractHypothalamic orexin neurons are involved in various physiological functions, including thermoregulation. The orexinergic system has been considered as a potent mediator of the exercise response. The present study describes how the antagonization of the orexinergic system by a dual orexin receptor antagonist (DORA) modifies the thermoregulatory process during exercise. Core Body Temperature (CBT) and Spontaneous Locomotor Activity (SLA) of 12 male Wistar rats were recorded after either oral administration of DORA (30 mg/kg or 60 mg/kg) or placebo solution, both at rest and in exercise conditions with treadmill running. DORA ingestion decreased SLA for 8 hours (p < 0.001) and CBT for 4 hours (p < 0.01). CBT (°C) response was independent of SLA. The CBT level decreased from the beginning to the end of exercise when orexin receptors were antagonized, with a dose-dependent response (39.09 ± 0.36 and 38.88 ± 0.28 for 30 and 60 mg/kg; p < 0.001) compared to placebo (39.29 ± 0.31; p < 0.001). CBT increased during exercise was also blunted after DORA administration, but without dose effects of DORA. In conclusion, our results favor the role of orexin in the thermoregulation under stress related to exercise conditions.

scholarly journals Contribution of Harman and Norharman to the Reinforcing Efficacy of Aqueous Tobacco Smoke Extract Self-Administered by Rats

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Alex John Crowther
Keyword(s):  
Tobacco Smoke ◽  
Fixed Ratio ◽  
Progressive Ratio ◽  
Sprague Dawley ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
Reinforcing Efficacy ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Sprague Dawley Rats ◽  
Reinforcing Agent

<p>Background: Animal models of drug abuse treat nicotine as the primary reinforcing agent that promotes tobacco addiction. However, rodents demonstrate poor self-administration of nicotine despite evidence of tobacco's high abuse potential in humans. This discrepancy has been attributed to other constituents of tobacco smoke that facilitate the development of nicotine dependence. Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether rats would self-administer intravenous an aqueous tobacco smoke extract (TPM) to find evidence if it was more reinforcing than nicotine alone. The study also evaluated the role of tobacco smoke constituent’s harman and norharman in any differences observed. Methods: Firstly, male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=29) were assigned to treatment groups: nicotine (30.0μg/kg/infusion), TPM (containing 30.0μg/kg/infusion nicotine) or saline vehicle. Ability for each treatment to support intravenous self-administration was assessed using spontaneous acquisition of responding on gradually increasing fixed ratio schedules (FR1, FR2, FR5). Subsequent progressive ratio (PR) testing was employed to determine reinforcing efficacy of each treatment. Then a second group of rats (N = 56) were assigned to treatment groups: nicotine alone (30.0 or 75.0μg/kg/infusion) or nicotine combined with norharman (0, 0.4, 2.5 or 6.25μg/kg/infusion) and harman (0.0, 1.6 or 10.0μg/kg, IP), and tested using a similar protocol. Results: Animals readily acquired self-administration responding for TPM and produced higher PR breakpoints (BP) than rats treated with nicotine alone or vehicle. Rats trained to respond for a larger dose of nicotine demonstrated significantly greater response rates than those receiving the lower dose of nicotine. Finally, the addition of harman and norharman to nicotine significantly reduced BP at the lower unit dose of nicotine tested. Conclusions: These findings support the hypothesis that TPM is more reinforcing than nicotine alone. However, the increased reinforcing efficacy of TPM cannot be attributed to the actions of harman and norharman. The potential role of serotonin inhibition in tobacco reward processes is discussed.</p>

scholarly journals Role of β1- and β2-adrenergic receptors in regulation of Cl− and Ca2+ channels in guinea pig ventricular myocytes

1997 ◽  
Vol 273 (4) ◽  
pp. H1669-H1676 ◽  
Author(s):  
Livia C. Hool ◽  
Robert D. Harvey
Keyword(s):  
Guinea Pig ◽  
Receptor Antagonist ◽  
Adrenergic Receptor ◽  
Ventricular Myocytes ◽  
Receptor Stimulation ◽  
Receptor Agonists ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Β Receptor ◽  
Ca2 Channels

The role of β1- and β2-adrenergic receptor stimulation in modulating adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-regulated Cl− and Ca2+ currents was investigated with use of guinea pig ventricular myocytes. Activation of the Cl− current by the nonselective β-receptor agonist isoproterenol (Iso) was not affected by the β2-receptor antagonist ICI-118,551 (ICI), but it was blocked by the β1-receptor antagonist atenolol. The inability of β2-receptor stimulation to activate the Cl− current was confirmed by the lack of response to the selective β2-receptor agonists salbutamol and zinterol. Responses to β2-adrenergic receptor stimulation were also looked for in pertussis toxin (PTX)-treated myocytes because PTX increases the sensitivity of responses to Iso, and PTX has been reported to increase the responsiveness to β2- but not β1-receptor stimulation. PTX treatment increased the sensitivity of the Cl− current to activation by Iso in the presence of ICI, indicating that PTX increases β1-receptor responsiveness. PTX treatment also resulted in the ability of salbutamol to activate the Cl− current. However, the response to salbutamol was blocked by atenolol but not by appropriate concentrations of ICI, suggesting that salbutamol was activating β1-receptors. These results indicate that PTX treatment increases the sensitivity to β1-receptor stimulation, without affecting β2-responsiveness. To verify that the lack of response to β2-receptor stimulation was not unique to the Cl− current, the effects of β2-receptor agonists on the L-type Ca2+current were also examined. The Ca2+ current was only affected by high concentrations of zinterol or salbutamol, and such responses were blocked by atenolol, but not by ICI, suggesting that activation of β1-receptors was involved. These results indicate that β1- but not β2-adrenergic receptor stimulation plays an important role in modulating the cAMP-regulated Cl− and Ca2+ currents in guinea pig ventricular myocytes.

scholarly journals Intragastric nutrient infusion reduces motivation for food in male and female rats

2018 ◽  
Vol 315 (1) ◽  
pp. E81-E90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Calyn B. Maske ◽  
Gregory C. Loney ◽  
Nicole Lilly ◽  
Sarah J. Terrill ◽  
Diana L. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Receptor Antagonist ◽  
Food Reward ◽  
Fixed Ratio ◽  
Progressive Ratio ◽  
Test Session ◽  
Suppressive Effect ◽  
Female Rats ◽  
Operant Responding ◽  
Male And Female Rats ◽  
Nutrient Infusion

The idea that gut-derived satiation signals influence food reward has recently gained traction, but this hypothesis is largely based on studies focused on neural circuitry, not the peripherally released signals. Here, we directly tested the hypothesis that intragastric (IG) nutrient infusion can suppress motivation for food. In a series of experiments, IG sucrose infusion (15 kcal) significantly and reliably reduced operant responding for a sucrose reward on a progressive ratio (PR) schedule. Moreover, food deprivation for 24 h before the test session did not prevent the suppressive effect of nutrients. The suppressive effect of IG sucrose on fixed ratio 5 (FR5) operant responding was also assessed as a comparison. The effect of IG nutrients to reduce motivation was not limited to sucrose; IG Ensure infusion (9.3 kcal) also significantly reduced PR operant responding for sucrose pellets. To verify that these effects were not secondary to the osmotic challenge of concentrated nutrients, we tested IG infusion of noncaloric saline solutions equiosmolar to 40% sucrose or Ensure and found no effect. Finally, we focused on glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and cholecystokinin (CCK) as candidate mediators for the effect of IG nutrients. Pretreatment with exendin-9, a GLP-1 receptor antagonist, delivered intraperitoneally, significantly attenuated the ability of IG nutrients to suppress PR responding and breakpoint in males, but not in females, whereas pretreatment with devazepide, a CCKA receptor antagonist, failed to do so in both sexes. Together, these data support the idea that nutrient-induced satiation signals influence food reward and may implicate GLP-1 in this process.

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