title: Spontaneous activity and responses of reticular neurones in monoamine-depleted rats.
abstract: Depletion of rat brain serotonin by p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) pretreatment, or of monoamines by reserpine pretreatment, was associated with reduced spontaneous firing rates of bulbar reticular neurones. Administration of 5-hydroxytryptophan to PCPA-treated rats reversed the reduction of neuronal activity. It is suggested that the results indicate a tonic excitatory serotoninergic input to a significant proportion of these neurones, which is abolished by serotonin depletion. Responses to serotonin and noradrenaline were greater in PCPA-treated and reserpire-treated rats respectively, indicating the development of supersensitivity.
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001679:Biogenic Amines / Q000502:physiology*; D010134:Fenclonine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D012110:Reserpine / Q000494:pharmacology; D012154:Reticular Formation / Q000502:physiology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001679:Biogenic Amines; D012701:Serotonin; D012110:Reserpine; D000109:Acetylcholine; D010134:Fenclonine; D009638:Norepinephrine