title: Serotonin-induced activation of the network for locomotion in adult spinal rats.
abstract: The biogenic amine serotonin has been described in the literature as a powerful modulator of the spinal central pattern generator for locomotion. In the present study, we tested whether administration of serotonin or its agonist quipazine could restore motor activity in a model of paraplegia. One to three weeks after a complete transection of the spinal cord at a low thoracic level, rats were given either intrathecal injections of serotonin (5 mM, 15 microL) or intraperitoneal injections of quipazine (400-600 microg/kg). Both treatments allowed recovery of locomotor activity on a treadmill in response to tail pinching. As compared with the activity elicited before treatment, the locomotor activity produced by spinal animals was characterised by longer locomotor sequences with a larger number of successive steps, better body support, better interlimb coordination, and a higher amplitude of electromyographic bursts. These results suggest that serotonergic drugs could be used for the recovery of motor functions after lesions of the spinal cord.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie et Biologie de la Motricité, CNRS-URA 1448, Paris, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Feraboli-Lohnherr
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Barthe
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Orsal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003655:Decerebrate State; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006614:Hindlimb; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000503:physiopathology; D010507:Periodicity; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal; D011814:Quipazine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D012701:Serotonin; D011814:Quipazine