title: Apomorphine- and oxytocin-induced penile erection and yawning in male rats: effect of pertussis toxin.
abstract: The effect of the intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of pertussis toxin on penile erection and yawning induced by apomorphine and oxytocin was studied in male rats. Pertussis toxin (2 micrograms ICV) prevented the above behavioral responses to apomorphine (80 micrograms/kg SC) and oxytocin (30 ng ICV) on day 3 and 4, but not on day 0 and 1 after treatment. Oxytocin and apomorphine responses were restored on day 6. Similar results were obtained by microinjecting pertussis toxin (0.5 microgram) in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, the most sensitive brain area for the induction of penile erection and yawning by oxytocin and apomorphine. The results suggest that G proteins are involved in the expression of above responses to apomorphine and oxytocin.
authors.affiliation: B. B. Brodie Department of Neurosciences, University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stancampiano
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Melis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Argiolas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects*; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D013997:Time Factors; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015000:Yawning / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella; D010121:Oxytocin; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D001058:Apomorphine