Journal article
Involvement of nitric oxide in nitrous oxide anxiolysis in the elevated plus-maze
Pharmacology, biochemistry and behavior, Vol.48(3), pp.689-692
1994
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/113972
PMID: 7524106
Abstract
We recently reported that inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production by the NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor
L
-N
G
-
nitro arginine
(L-NOARG) antagonized the behavioral effects of benzodiazepine (BZ) in a mouse paradigm for screening anxiolytic drug activity. Because other research has found that the anesthetic gas nitrous oxide (N
2O) also produces BZ-like behavioral effects, the present research was conducted to ascertain whether NO might also be involved in N
2O anxiolysis. Male Swiss-Webster mice were tested in an elevated plus-maze inside an inflatable glovebag. Exposure to N
2O significantly increased exploratory activity on the open arms of the plus-maze, as measured by the number of entries into the open arms and the time spent on the open arms. Pretreatment with L-NOARG significantly reduced the N
2O-induced elevation in open arm activity. This antagonism of the N
2O effect was reversed by ICV treatment of L-NOARG-pretreated mice with
L-arginine but not
D-arginine. These findings indicate that NO possibly mediates behavioral effects of N
2O in an animal model for anxiety.
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Details
- Title
- Involvement of nitric oxide in nitrous oxide anxiolysis in the elevated plus-maze
- Creators
- Peter W Caton - Department of Psychology, Rockford College, Rockford, IL 61108, USAStuart A Tousman - Department of Psychology, Rockford College, Rockford, IL 61108, USARaymond M Quock - Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA
- Publication Details
- Pharmacology, biochemistry and behavior, Vol.48(3), pp.689-692
- Academic Unit
- Psychology, Department of
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc
- Identifiers
- 99900547872101842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article