title: Effects of neurotensin on neurons in the rat central amygdaloid nucleus in vitro.
abstract: The effects of neurotensin (NT) on neurons in the central amygdaloid nucleus (ACe) were investigated in rat brain slice preparations by adding the peptide to the perfusing medium. Of 115 ACe neurons, 69 cells (60%) showed excitatory responses and 10 cells (9%) showed inhibitory responses to application of NT. The excitatory response to NT was observed in a dose-dependent manner and the threshold concentration was approximately 3 x 10(-9) M. The excitatory effects of NT persisted under blockade of synaptic transmission. The NT fragment neurotensin 8-13 and the NT analogue neuromedin N showed effects similar to those of NT, whereas the NT fragment neurotensin 1-8 had no effect on ACe neurons. Of 43 neurons in the septal nucleus, 8 cells (19%) and 3 cells (7%) showed excitatory and inhibitory responses, respectively, to NT. The results suggest that NT exerts a potent excitatory effect on ACe neurons through a direct action on specific receptors, in which NT may play a role in amygdala-relevant functions.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Physiology, Okayama University Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moriwaki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tomizawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Itano
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsui
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009496:Neurotensin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology; D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; C042090:neuromedin N; D009496:Neurotensin; C054381:neurotensin (8-13); C041968:neurotensin (1-8); D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid