title: Effect of diazepam on behaviour and associated changes in ascorbate concentration in rat brain areas: striatum, n. accumbens and hippocampus.
abstract: The effect of diazepam on spontaneous and tail-pinch-induced behaviour was monitored together with the measurement of extracellular ascorbate using constant potential voltammetry with carbon paste electrodes. Diazepam (3 mg/kg) was followed by eating during the 1st hour after administration in non-food-deprived rats and a reduction in the behaviour triggered by a mild tail-pinch 90 min after drug administration. There was no change in ascorbate concentration in parallel with the spontaneous eating; however, the brisk increase in ascorbate concentration in striatum, nucleus accumbens and hippocampus, which accompanies the tail-pinch, was decreased in size and duration after diazepam. This effect was blocked by the central benzodiazepine receptor antagonist Ro15 1788 (5 mg/kg).
authors.affiliation: University Laboratory of Physiology, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Boutelle
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Svensson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fillenz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D003975:Diazepam