title: Inhibitory effect of NMDA receptors in the ventral tegmental area on hormonal and eating behavior responses to stress in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stress and its consequences are among the causes of accidents.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The effects of intraventral tegmental area (I-VTA) memantine on the plasma corticosterone and eating parameters disturbance induced by acute stress were investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Wistar rats (W: 250-300 g) were divided into control and experiential groups, each of which received memantine either intra-VTA or peripherally. One week after bilateral cannulation, the rats received memantine (1 and 5 μg/Rat) five min before electroshock stress. The other experimental groups received memantine (1 and 5 mg/kg) intraperitoneally 30 min before stress. The control groups received saline or memantine but did not experience stress. Food and water intake and plasma corticosterone level were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed that stress decreases food intake but does not change water intake and increase in plasma corticosterone level. Intraperitoneal memantine administration slightly inhibits the stress effects on food intake. However, water intake and plasma corticosterone level were increased. Intra-VTA memantine reduces the effects of stress on corticosterone and water intake.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It could be concluded that inhibition of glutamate NMDA receptors in the VTA by memantine leads to the inhibition of the eating behavior parameters and plasma corticosterone level disturbance induced by stress in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran 19395-6558, Iran.
authors.forename: Zohreh Sadat
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Nasihatkon
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Biological Science, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran 19395-6558, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khosravi
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah (a.s.) University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 19395-6558, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bourbour
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah (a.s.) University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 19395-6558, Iran.
authors.forename: Hedayat
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9235-0013
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sahraei
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah (a.s.) University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 19395-6558, Iran.
authors.forename: Mina
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4791-8911
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ranjbaran
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah (a.s.) University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 19395-6558, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyedeh Maryam
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hassantash
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 19395-6558, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sahraei
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah (a.s.) University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 19395-6558, Iran.
authors.forename: Kefayat
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baghlani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D004326:Drinking / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D004597:Electroshock; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D008559:Memantine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008845:Microinjections; D051381:Rats; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017557:Ventral Tegmental Area / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D008559:Memantine; D003345:Corticosterone