Postdecapitation convulsions in the rat measured with an Animex motility meter: relation to central alpha-adrenoceptors.
Postdecapitation convulsions (PDC) were quantified by recording the number of movements of the trunk of decapitated rats with an Animex motility meter. PDC were inhibited by alpha 1-adrenoceptor blocking agents, phenoxybenzamine and prazosin, but unaffected by alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonists, yohimbine and piperoxan, or a beta-adrenoceptor blocker, propranolol. Chronic administration of antidepressant drugs: amitriptyline, imipramine and zimelidine augmented the PDC. Preliminary experiments with [3H]prazosin binding suggest that the increased PDC response is related to an increase in alpha 1-adrenoceptor binding, most likely owing to an increase in receptor density.
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D007099:Imipramine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D011224:Prazosin / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic / Q000502:physiology*; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; D007099:Imipramine; D011224:Prazosin