title: Modulation of stress-induced neurobehavioral changes by nitric oxide in rats.
abstract: The involvement of nitric oxide (NO) in stress-induced neurobehavioral changes in rats was evaluated using the elevated plus maze and open field tests. Restraint stress (1 h) reduced both the number of entries and time spent in open arms, with both expressed as percent of controls (no restraint stress), and these changes were reversed with diazepam (1 mg/kg) and the NO precursor, L-arginine (500 and 1000 mg/kg) pretreatment. The nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (50 mg/kg), aggravated restraint stress effects in the elevated plus maze test, whereas the lower dose (10 mg/kg) of the drug attenuated the same. In the open field test, the restraint stress-induced (a) increased entry latency and (b) decreased ambulation and rearing were reversed by diazepam and L-arginine and L-NAME (10 mg/kg), whereas L-NAME (50 mg/kg) aggravated restraint stress effects. The neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, 7-nitroindazole (10 and 50 mg/kg), did not influence these restraint stress-induced behavioral changes to any significant extent. Biochemical data showed that L-NAME (10 and 50 mg/kg.) induced opposite effects on the total brain nitrate/nitrite content during restraint stress. The results indicate a possible involvement of NO in stress-induced neurobehavioral effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, -110007, Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Anbrin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masood
authors.forename: Basudeb
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Vijayan
authors.forename: Arunabha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ray
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D007191:Indazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012149:Restraint, Physical
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007191:Indazoles; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D003975:Diazepam; C080122:7-nitroindazole; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester