Chemotaxis and movement of Physarum polycephalum and its responses to some neurotransmitters and psychomimetic compounds.
A method was developed for studying the effect of some neurotransmitters and drugs on the rate of movement and the chemotactic value of the plasmodium of Physarum polycephalum. Epinephrine (adrenaline) at a concentration of 1 mg/ml, reduced the rate of movement and shortened the length of the cycles of shuttle streaming, but did not affect the chemotactic response. The drugs DL-amphetamine, cannabinol and heroin diminished the rate of movement, whereas Na-barbitol misled the chemotactic response.
D000661:Amphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001462:Barbital / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001463:Barbiturates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000187:drug effects*; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003932:Heroin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010804:Physarum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D001463:Barbiturates; D001462:Barbital; D003932:Heroin; D001285:Atropine; D013759:Dronabinol; D000661:Amphetamine; D004837:Epinephrine