Interference with the GABAergic system in the dorsolateral telencephalon and modulation of the electric organ discharge frequency in the weakly electric fish Gymnotus carapo.
The functional role of the dorsal portions of dorsolateral telencephalon in modulating the stable electric organ discharge was determined by microinjection of an agonist or antagonist GABAergic drug in the awake weak electric fish, Gymnotus carapo. The dorsolateral telencephalon, which is interconnected with the preglomerular complex and the dorsocentral telencephalic area was microinjected through a guide cannula previously implanted, with different doses of bicuculline, muscimol and saline. Microinjection of bicuculline into the dorsolateral telencephalon induced a complex response consisting of increase, decrease and abrupt interruptions in the frequency of electric organ discharges and an increase in motor activity. Motor activity and modulations in the electric organ discharge are dose dependent. The somatic, but not the electric, effect is abolished under anesthesia by urethane, suggesting that the two responses are parallel but unrelated in terms of occurrence. These data, together with former neuroanatomical findings by this laboratory, suggest two parallel pathways by which the blockage of GABAA receptors in the dorsolateral telencephalon causes modulations in the firing of the medullary pacemaker nucleus. A possible route for the motor effect through reticular projection from the torus semicircularis dorsalis is discussed.
Santana
U J
UJ
Department of Physics and Mathematics, FFCLRP, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
Roque-da-Silva
A C
AC
Duarte
T T
TT
Corrêa
S A
SA
D000818:Animals; D001640:Bicuculline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004557:Electric Organ / Q000502:physiology*; D018755:GABA Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D018756:GABA Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D023702:Gymnotiformes / Q000502:physiology*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009118:Muscimol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D013687:Telencephalon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000502:physiology*
D018755:GABA Agonists; D018756:GABA Antagonists; D009118:Muscimol; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D001640:Bicuculline