title: Self-biting induced by activation of L-type calcium channels in mice: dopaminergic influences.
abstract: The L-type calcium channel activator +/-Bay K 8644 induces repetitive self-biting and self-injurious behavior in young mice. Since dopaminergic systems have been implicated in prior studies of these behaviors in both humans and animals, the present experiments were designed to test whether drugs influencing the dopaminergic systems could modify the behavioral responses to +/-Bay K 8644. The ability of +/-Bay K 8644 to provoke self-biting and self-injurious behavior was increased by amphetamine and GBR 12909, drugs that augment synaptic dopaminergic concentrations by blocking the reuptake and/or stimulating the release of dopamine. Conversely, self-biting and self-injurious behavior were decreased by tetrabenazine or reserpine, two drugs that deplete vesicular stores of dopamine. These results suggest that dopaminergic systems may play a role in the ability of +/-Bay K 8644 to provoke self-biting and self-injurious behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors.forename: Suhail
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasim
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Jinnah
mesh_terms: D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000661:Amphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001734:Bites, Human / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002120:Calcium Channel Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects*; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000502:physiology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D012652:Self Mutilation / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D002120:Calcium Channel Agonists; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D015259:Dopamine Agents; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D010879:Piperazines; D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester; C043425:vanoxerine; D000661:Amphetamine; D004298:Dopamine