title: Neurochemical and behavioural modifications induced by scrapie infection in golden hamsters.
abstract: Scrapie-infected hamsters were tested for spontaneous motor activity and passive avoidance at various times after infection. After testing, some animals were killed and their whole brains assayed for norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin and their metabolites. The apparent rate of turnover was estimated in terms of metabolite/amine concentrations. After 70 days, there was a decrease in passive avoidance and dopamine and serotonin. Passive avoidance correlated with the apparent rate of turnover of dopamine, whereas motor activity correlated with that of serotonin and dopamine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Chemotherapy and Medical Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Milan, Via Vanvitelli 32, 20129, Milan, Italy. silvio.bareggi@unimi.it
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Bareggi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Braida
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gervasoni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carcassola
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pollera
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Verzoni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sala
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vergerio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D006224:Cricetinae; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000378:metabolism; D008647:Mesocricetus; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D012608:Scrapie / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D004298:Dopamine