Effect of nitric oxide on the expression of apelin receptor mRNA in rat caudate nucleus

Objective To investigate the effect of nitric oxide （NO） on the expression of apelin receptor mRNA, as well as their correlation, in the caudate nucleus of rat. Methods L-Arginine （L-Arg）, N^G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester （L-NAME） and normal saline （NS） was separately microinjected into rat caudate nucleus. Expressions of neuronal NO synthase （nNOS） mRNA and apelin receptor mRNA were detected by RT-PCR at 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48 h after microinjection, and their correlation was determined. Results The expressions of nNOS mRNA and apelin receptor mRNA were both significantly increased after microinjection of L-Arg, but significantly decreased after microinjection of L-NAME compared with the NS control group. The nNOS mRNA had a positive correlation with the expression of apelin receptor mRNA after microinjection of L-Arg and L-NAME. Conclusion The activity of NOS in the central nervous system, especially in the caudate nucleus, is one of the key factors for NO to exert many kinds of biological actions, such as modulation of central pain, as a neurotransmitter. The neurobiological action of NO in rat caudate nucleus may be associated with apelin receptors.

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the anterior cingulate gyrus and caudate nucleus in schizophrenia patients versus healthy controls

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy （^1 H-MRS） permits the assessment of cerebral neurometabolites, such as N-acetylaspartate, choline, and creatine, in vivo and has been used to study schizophrenia. The present study used ^1H-MRS to compare the spectroscopy change of N-acetylaspartate, creatine, and choline metabolite levels in the anterior cingulate and caudate nucleus of both schizophrenia patients and healthy controls, as well as between the left and right cerebral hemispheres in the schizophrenia patients. Results showed that N-acetylaspartate and creatine metabolite levels in the left anterior cingulate gyrus were significantly lower in the schizophrenia patients than in the healthy controls, indicating hypometabolism. In addition, choline concentration in the left caudate nucleus of schizophrenia patients was significantly lower than in the right caudate nucleus, indicating that it is necessary to study the cerebral lateralization of ^1H-MRS in schizophrenia patients.

EFFECT OF ELECTROACUPUNCTURE ON DISCHARGES OF PAIN-REACTION NEURONS IN CAUDATE NUCLEUS AND PARAFACICULAR NUCLEUS IN RATS WITH CEREBRAL HEMORRHAGE

Objective: To study the bidirectional adjustment effe ct of ele ctroacupuncture (E A) on the electrical activities of neurons in caudate nucleus (CN) and parafasci cular nucleus (PFN) in rats with acute cerebral hemorrhage (ACH). Methods: ① 32 male Wistar rats were evenly randomize d into normal, EA+normal, model and model +EA groups for observing the effect of EA on pain reaction; ② another 40 male Wi star rats were equally randomized into control, saline, model and EA groups for comparing the effects of EA on discharges of pain-reaction neurons in CN and P FN . ACH model was established by intracerebral injection of the rat’s own arteria l blood sample (30μL) into CN and PFN. Pain reaction was tested by using tail -flicking (TF) reflex induced by radiation-heat irradiation. Extra-cellular d ischarges of neurons of CN and PFN were recorded by using glass micropipettes. E A (1 V, 15 Hz and duration of 10 min) was applied to "Baihui"(百会 GV 20) and "Taiyang" (太阳 EX-HN 5). Frequency of discharges of CN and PFN neurons was calculated be fore and after intracerebral injection of blood sample, heat nociceptive stimula tion and EA respectively. Results: Compared with con trol group and pre-EA in the same group, TF latency (TFL) values of normal rats increased significantly; compared w ith pre-injection of blood, TFL of model group also increased pronouncedly ( P<0.0 1). In comparison with model group, TFL values of EA group decreased significant ly (P<0.01), indicating that EA of GV 20 and EX-HN 5 could suppress ACH induced increase of TFL. In ACH rats, the latency of pain-excitement response of disch ar ges of CN and PFN neurons increased significantly, while the net increase values of pain-excitement response decreased significantly in model group (P< 0.05～0.01 ), the duration of pain-inhibitory response and the net decrease values of dis ch arges of CN and PFN neurons increased clearly. Comparison between model and EA groups showed that the latency values of the pain-excitement reaction of disch ar ges of CN and PFN neurons in EA group were significantly lower than those in mod el group (P<0.01), while the net increase values of discharges of CN and PFN neu rons in EA group were considerable higher than those in model group (P< 0.01); th e latency and net decrease values of pain-inhibitory CN and PFN neurons in EA gr oup were clearly lower than those in model group. It indicated that EA could pro l ong the latency of pain-excitatory reaction and shorten the duration of pain-i nhi bitory reactions of the neurons induced by cerebral hemorrhage and raise the exc itement degree of CN and PFN neurons. Conclusion: EA can reduce the excitability of pain-excitement neurons (PEN) and lower the inhibitory degree of pain -inhibitory neurons (PIN) in both CN and PFN, an d thus possesses a bidirectional regulation effect on cerebral hemorrhage-induced c hanges of the electrical activities of neurons in both CN and PFN.

Differential effects of dopamine on pain-related electric activities in normal rats and morphinistic rats

Objective To investigate the influence of dopamine （DA） and DA receptor＇s antagonist on the transmission of noxious information in the central nervous system of normal rats or morphinistic rats. Methods The influence of DA on the electric activity of the pain-excited neuron （PEN） in the caudate nucleus （Cd） of normal rats or morphinistic rats was recorded after the sciatic nerve was noxiously stimulated. Results DA shortened the average latency of the evoked discharge of PEN in the Cd of normal rats, indicating that DA could increase the activity of PEN and pain sensitivity in normal rats. This effect could be inhibited by Droperidol. DA increased the average latency of the evoked discharge of PEN in the Cd of morphinistic rats, indicating that DA could inhibit the activity of PEN and pain sensitivity in morphinistic rats. Conclusion The responses to painful stimulation were completely opposite between normal rats and morphinistic rats after the intracerebroventricular injection of DA.

EFFECT OF ELECTROACUPUNCTURE OF SCALP-POINTS ON ABNORMAL DISCHARGES OF NEURONS AROUND THE CEREBRAL HEMORRHAGE FOCUS IN THE RAT

Objective: To study the mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) of scalp-points for regulating abnormal discharges of neurons in different regions around the cerebral hemorrhage focus by using neuro-electrophysiological methods. Methods: 80 Wistar rats (anesthetized with 20% urethane 1 g/kg, i.p.) were randomly divided into normal, saline, model and EA groups, with 20 cases in each group. Cerebral hemorrhage model was established by intracerebral injection of the rat’s own arterial blood sample (40 uL). In rats of saline group, the same volume of saline was given for intracerebral injection. Extracellular electrical activity of neurons of the caudate nucleus and parafascicular nucleus and Tail flicking latency (TFL) were used as the indexes. “Baihui”(百会 GV 20) and “Taiyang”(太阳 EX-HN 5) were punctured from GV 20 towards EX-HN 5 with filiform needles and stimulated electrically with stimulating parameters of strength of 1 V, frequency of 15 Hz and duration of 15 min. Results: Compared with normal group, TFL values of model group and EA group increased significantly (P<0.01); and compared with model group, those of EA group decreased significantly (P<0.01), suggesting that the pain threshold increased significantly in cerebral hemorrhage rats while after acupuncture stimulation, it lowered strikingly. Compared with normal and saline groups, the latency values of the pain excitement and inhibitory responses of the cellular discharges of the caudate and parafascicular nuclei in model and EA groups increased significantly (P<0.05～0.01), while after EA, it recovered apparently (P<0.01), showing an apparent regulative effect of EA on the abnormal changes of discharges of neurons around the cerebral hemorrhage focus. Conclusion: Scalp-acupuncture possesses an apparent regulatory effect on the abnormal electrical activity of neurons around the cerebral hemorrhage focus which may favor the early recovery of functional activity of neurons near the focus tissues.