title: Involvement of neurotransmitters in the 'anxiolytic-like' action of atrial natriuretic peptide in rats.
abstract: Effects of centrally administered rat atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP1-28) in different doses (50, 100, 150, 200, 500 or 1000 ng) were examined in rats with respect to anxiolytic properties in an elevated plus-maze model. In doses of 100, 150 and 200 ng, ANP1-28 abolished the normal preference for the closed arms of the maze, and increased the percentage of time spent on the open arms; this is consistent with an 'anxiolytic-like' effect. Doses of 50, 500 and 1000 ng of rANP1-28 produced no behavioral effects in the elevated plus-maze model. Pretreatment with a dopaminergic blocker, an alpha-adrenoreceptor or a beta-adrenoreceptor antagonist antagonized the effect of 200 ng ANP1-28 in the elevated plus-maze test. A muscarinergic cholinergic blocker, a GABA receptor antagonist, a 5-HT receptor antagonist and an opiate antagonist were not able to modulate the 'anxiolytic-like' effects of ANP1-28. These results suggest that a multiple neurotransmitter system activation might be responsible for the ANP1-28-induced 'anxiolytic-like' activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical University, Szeged, Hungary.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bíró
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tóth
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Telegdy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor