title: Effects of locally infused pharmacological agents on spontaneous and sensory-evoked activity of locus coeruleus neurons.
abstract: Electrophysiological activity of individual locus coeruleus (LC) neurons was recorded in halothane-anesthetized rats before, during, and after the infusion of adrenergic, cholinergic, or peptidergic compounds about 400 micron lateral to LC. The alpha-adrenergic agonist clonidine (CLON), in concentrations ranging from 5-20 microM (67-270 pg/50 nl injection), reversibly suppressed activity with latencies to onset of 5-15 min and durations of 20-120 min. During the onset of suppressed firing, responses to sensory stimuli (footshock) were relatively preserved, but at later times the reliability of footshock responses was greatly reduced. The alpha-adrenergic antagonist piperoxane (PIP) rapidly reversed the inhibitory effects of CLON. Infusion of 0.1 microliter of 0.02 M acetylcholine (ACh) produced a 3-4 min period of increased LC firing, with a 1 min latency to onset. Larger volumes (0.15 microliter) produced greater increases in firing rate lasting 10-12 min. ACh effects were readily reversed with equimolar doses of scopolamine (SCOP). The effects of 0.02 M ACh were also rapidly reversed by equal volumes of 0.001 M CLON, SCOP and CLON reduced basal firing rates without blocking responses to sensory stimuli. Infusion of the cholinergic agonist carbamyl-beta-choline (carbachol) produced robust, reliable activation of LC neurons at doses of 25-1,000 ng per 100 nl injection. The electrophysiological effects of 3 adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) fragments [1-24], [4-10], and [1-10] were also evaluated. ACTH[1-10] and ACTH[4-10] decreased LC activity for up to 2 hr. ACTH[1-24] exhibited more complex effects, with an increase in discharge rate being accompanied by a decrease in action potential amplitude.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Foote
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000320:Adrenergic Fibers / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003000:Clonidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004597:Electroshock; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; C011394:ACTH (4-10); D003000:Clonidine; D000109:Acetylcholine