Blockade of ACh receptors by PrBCM causes deficits in shuttle avoidance performance.
Studies were made examining the effect of blockade of muscarinic acetylcholine (mACh) receptors in the cerebral cortex of rats on their shuttle avoidance after training. Rats were given a session of shuttle avoidance tests once a day for 12 days. Then the irreversible antagonist of mACh receptors, propylbenzilylcholine mustard (PrBCM), was injected bilaterally into the cerebral cortex of rats showing avoidance rates of more than 75% in the last session, and avoidance rates were examined 24 hr later. The avoidance rates of the rats treated with 100 micrograms PrBCM were lower than those in the last session before treatment. The amount of mACh receptors in the cerebral cortex was decreased by PrBCM treatment, as shown by [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) binding studies performed just after measurement of the avoidance response. The present study indicates that cholinergic neurotransmission in rat cerebral cortex is involved in performing a learned shuttle avoidance.
Kato
S
S
Department of Pharmacology I, Osaka University School of Medicine, Japan.
Kimura
Y
Y
Misaki
N
N
Nakahiro
M
M
Yoshida
H
H
D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects; D002794:Choline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D011438:Propylbenzilylcholine Mustard / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic; D011438:Propylbenzilylcholine Mustard; D002794:Choline