title: Orexin A-induced enhancement of attentional processing in rats: role of basal forebrain neurons.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Orexins are neuropeptides released in multiple brain regions from neurons that originate within the lateral hypothalamus and contiguous perfornical area. The basal forebrain, a structure implicated in attentional processing, receives orexinergic inputs. Our previous work demonstrated that administration of an orexin-1 receptor antagonist, SB-334867, systemically or via infusion directly into the basal forebrain, can disrupt performance in a task that places explicit demands on attentional processing.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Given that the orexin-1 receptor binds orexin A with high affinity, we tested whether orexin A could enhance attention in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Attentional performance was assessed using a task that required discrimination of variable duration visual signals from trials when no signal was presented. We also tested whether infusions of orexin A into the lateral ventricle could attenuate deficits following lesions of medial prefrontal cortical cholinergic projections that arise from the basal forebrain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infusions of orexin A into the basal forebrain attenuated distracter-induced decreases in attentional performance. Orexin A attenuated deficits in lesioned animals when a visual distracter was presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results support the view that orexin A can enhance attentional performance via actions in the basal forebrain and may be beneficial for some conditions characterized by attentional dysfunction due to disruption of cortical cholinergic inputs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, 23187, USA.
authors.forename: Kristin N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Zajo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.
authors.forename: Jim R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Fadel
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, 23187, USA. jabur2@wm.edu.
authors.forename: Joshua A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Burk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D066187:Basal Forebrain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D057967:Infusions, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism; D000068797:Orexins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D009479:Neuropeptides; D000068797:Orexins
keywords: Acetylcholine; Attention; Basal forebrain; Hypocretin; Vigilance