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Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from isolated neurons from rat prefrontal cortex have been made to study GABAb and mGluR receptor modulation of currents induced by applications of GABA and kainate. The GABAb-receptor antagonist CGP-55845 (5 microM) enhanced the peak by 26 +/- 13% (n = 6) but had no effect on the steady-state of GABA-activated current. Bath application of GABAb-receptor agonist baclofen (50 microM) enhanced the GABAa currents by 9 +/- 2% (n = 8). Kainate-activated currents were not affected by baclofen. Both GABA-activated currents and kainate-activated currents were not affected by trans-ACPD (MGluR agonist). These results suggest that in cortex postsynaptic response of GABAa-receptors can be modulated by GABAb-receptors.

The influence of GABA(A) receptor agonist (muscimol hydrobromide, 0.1 μg/0.5 μL) and antagonist (bicuculline methiodide, 0.2 μg/0.5 μL) injections into the right and the left basolateral amygdala on the behavior of the high- and low-anxiety rats was investigated in elevated plus-maze test. High- and low-anxiety rats had different sensitivities to injections of GABA receptor agents. Administration of muscimol increased open-arm time only in the high-anxiety rats, indicating anxiolytic-like effect. Injection of bicuculline increased aggression of all rats, as well as enhanced locomotion and exploration in high-anxiety rats, increased open-arm time and emotionality in the low-anxiety animals. More powerful changes in behavior of rats were revealed after injections of muscimol into the left amygdala of high-anxiety rats and bicuculline into the right amygdala of low-anxiety ones. The results evidence the existence of individual typological and interhemispheric differences in functioning of the amygdalar GABAergic system.

The role of GABA-A receptors in psychotropic effects of pyrrolo[1,2-a][1,4]diazepine derivatives GMAL-24 and GMAL-27 has been studied on an operant method with liquid reinforcement of drug discrimination in male Wistar rats. It is established that, in substitution tests, GMAL-24 (2, 5, 10 mg/kg) and GMAL-27 (2, 5, 10 mg/kg) do not produce interoceptive effects of phenazepam (1 mg/kg) and fail to inhibit interoceptive effects of corasol (20 mg/kg). The obtained results indicate that pyrrolo[1,2-a][1,4]diazepine derivatives do not exhibit GABA-A receptor-positive modulator properties in vivo.

Respiratory rhythm changes and hypoxic ventilatory responses were studied in anesthetized albino rats after administration GABA and adenosine receptor antagonists. Intracisternal microinjection of picrotoxin induced pathological periodic breathing. Picrotoxin intravenous administration caused the increase of individual resistance to acute hypoxia. Aminophylline administration exerted the opposite effect. After pretreatment of hydroxybutyrate we observed different types of respiratory reactions to adenosine antagonist injection, which probably depended on the value of arterial blood pressure and cerebral hemodynamics.

The interaction of exogenously applied excitatory (glutamate and their agonists NMDA, AMPA, kainate) and inhibitory (glycine and GABA) amino acid effects was studied intracellularly in the motoneurones of the isolated frog spinal cord. During simultaneous glycine or GABA bath applications GLU-, AMPA-, KA- and NMDA-evoked responses were, respectively, decreased up to 45.8 +/- 2.9% (n = 12) and 67.8 +/- 3.9% (n = 16), 13.9 +/- 4.3% (n = 9) and 32.1 +/- 8.3% (n = 12), 36.8 +/- 8.2% (n = 7) and 48.0 +/- 11.8% (n = 6), 7.7 +/- 3.5% (n = 9) and 18.1 +/- 3.8% (n = 14) from the control. Sequential applications of EAA after glycine or GABA as well as the applications of EAA-agonist and glycine (GABA) mixture demonstrated similar results. The decrease of EAA-responses by glycine and GABA was abolished by selective GlyR antagonist strychnine (1 microM) and the selective GABAR antagonist SR95531 (gabazine, 20 MM), respectively. The data revealed differences in inhibitory effect of glycine and GABA on the excitation responses mediated by different types of glutamate receptors in the frog motoneurones: the predominant inhibitory effect of glycine and GABA on NMDA-responses and weak inhibitory effect on KA- and GLU-responses. Inhibitory effect of glycine was twice as much as that of GABA at the same concentration.

The purpose of the investigation was to elucidate significance of GABA and dopamine systems of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis for the reinforcing effects of a number of psychotropic drugs (opiates, opioids, psychostimulants) on self-stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus in rats. To the Wistar male rats, bipolar electrodes were implanted in the lateral hypothalamus to study self-stimulation reaction in the Skinner box. Simultaneously, the microcannules were implanted into the bed nucleus of stria terminalis to inject the drugs under study. Some drugs, xycaine, or lidocain, a blocker of sodium influx ionic currents, antagonists of GABAA receptors bicuculline, D1 dopamine receptors SCH23390 and D2 dopamine receptors sulpiride which were administered intrastructurally into the bed nucleus of stria terminalis, were used for pharmacological analysis. Xycaine > SCH23390 = bicuculline inhibited self-stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus. The reinforcing properties of a number of psychoactive drugs (amphetamine, Fentanyl, sodium ethaminal and leuenkephaline) were changed on the background of their action. It is concluded that the bed nucleus of stria terminalis controls the hypothalamic self-stimulation via GABA- and dopaminergic mechanisms. GABA realizes the negative (inhibitory) action. The direct positive (activating) effect on the lateral hypothalamus is realized through D1 dopamine receptors, and D2 dopamine receptors of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis limit the positive effects of narcogenic drugs.

On brain slices from healthy guinea pigs and animals with a model of chronic temporal lobe epilepsy, a comparative study of GABAergic modulation of oscillatory activity of neurons in the medial septal area was carried out. Under the action of GABA, burst activity persisted only in pacemakers in both groups of preparations. In epilepsy, the effectiveness of GABA action on the rhythmic neurons sharply increased. In the control group, GABA significantly reduced bursts frequency in cells preserving their oscillatory activity, whereas in slices from the epileptic brain burst frequency increased under the action of GABA. Blockade of GABAergic receptors led to a disruption of tonic GABAergic intraseptal influences and to a significant decrease in the effectiveness of blockers in epilepsy. The study was the first to demonstrate a dysfunction of the septal GABAergic system in temporal lobe epilepsy, which is a possible cause of a sharp change in the oscillatory properties of septal neurons. These findings contribute to elucidation of the mechanisms of temporal lobe epilepsy.

The review summarizes available data about the influence of GABA-ergic substances on the immune system functional activity under both normal and pathology conditions. Analysis of information in the literature and publications shows that positive/inhibitory effects of GABA and its derivatives on the immune system depend on the overall background organism condition, as well as on parameters such as the level of antigenic stress. In addition, it is shown that changes in the immune reactivity achieved through the GABA-ergic system are dopamine and serotonin dependent. The immunotropic action of GABA and GABA-ergic substances is evidently determined by activating effect upon the multi-level immunogenesis control system, in particular, the GABA-sensitive receptors of the central nervous system and immunocompetent organs, as well as hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal complex.

Data on the structure, localization, physiology and pharmacology of GABA(C) receptors are reviewed. Thece receptors belong to cys-loop receptors and consist of rho1-3 subunits representing pentamers with five subunits that form a chloride channel. They are found in both central nervous system and peripheral organs. The pentamer can be homomeric, consisting of five similar protomers (e.g., p1), or heteromeric (pseudo-homomeric), consisting of rho1 and rho2 subunits. Chloride channel function also depends on the GABA(C) receptor subunit composition. The activation of GABAc receptors is accompanied by a change in the permeability of plasmatic membranes for C1 ions, which is followed by depolarization (presynaptic inhibition) or hyperpolarization (postsynaptic inhibition). There are a great number of the allosteric modulators, agonists and antagonists of GABA(C) receptors.

Data on the structure, localization, physiology, and pharmacology of GABA receptors are reviewed. These receptors belong to cis-loop receptors and consist of 16 subunits in various combinations and occur in both central nervous system and peripheral organs. There are a great number of their allosteric modulators, agonists and antagonists. Activation of GABA receptors is accompanied by changes in the permeability of plasmatic membranes for chloride ions, which is followed by depolarization (presynaptic inhibition) or hyperpolarization (postsynaptic inhibition). GABA receptors contain some topographically different binding sites, intended for the interaction both with the main mediator (GABA) and with allosteric regulators such as benzodiazepines, barbiturates, convulsants, ethanol, and neurosteroids.

The extracellular level of neurotransmitter amino acids and total content of serotonin and its metabolite 5-HIAA were estimated by microdialysis in cerebellar vermis at different stages of habituation of the acoustic startle reaction (ASR) and conditioned freezing in a startle chamber prior to acoustic stimulation. An increase in GABA and serotonin levels was observed 10 min after training. Twenty four hours after training, glycine and glutamate levels increased, whereas serotonin and 5-HIAA contents decreased. Positive correlations were revealed between the GABA and glycine levels during training and characteristics of the freezing behavior during testing. Glutamate level during the test session positively correlated with the index of long-term habituation of the ASR orienting component. NMDA receptor antagonist APV applied on cerebellar vermis before training suppressed, whereas AM PA receptor antagonist CNQX enhanced the long-term habituation of the ASR orienting component. Under the same conditions, GABA receptor antagonists bicuculline and phaclofen suppressed the long-term habituation of the defensive ASR component and formation of the conditioned freezing behavior. Applied before training 5-HT antagonist ritanserin impaired long-term habituation of defensive ASR component and formation of conditioned freezing behavior, but its application 1 h before testing enhanced the habituation of the defensive ASR component without any effect on conditioned fear. The results testify to the involvement of glutamatergic cerebellar system activity predominantly in long-term habituation of orienting ASR component and participation of GABA interneurons and serotoninergic projections to cerebellum in the mechanisms of the long-term habituation of the defensive ASR component and formation of conditioned freezing behavior.

Effects of the inhibitor of the expression of Heat shock proteins 70 kDa (Hsp70), quercetin on seizures and movement disorders induced by N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) or pentylenetetrazole in adult rats Wistar were investigated using behavioral methods. It was found that intraperitoneal injection of quercetin 4 hours before intraventricular microinjection of NMDA resulted in increased duration of tonic component of seizures, seizure and ataxia symptoms severity. Blockade of the expression of Hsp70 by quercetin increased the duration of clonic and tonic seizures and did not affect severity of seizures and ataxia symptoms, induced by intraperitoneal injection of pentylenetetrazole. Immunoblotting showed that injection of quercetin resulted in reduced content of the inducible form of Hsp70 in the hippocampus, thalamus and corpus callosum. The obtained results indicate proconvulsant effect of quercetin associated with the inhibition of Hsp70 expression. These data suggest involvement of Hp70 in regulation of central mechanisms of behavioral seizures and motor disorders induced by NMDA and pentylenetetrazole in rats.

Narcotized rats under hemorrhagic stroke model conditions exhibit a significant decrease in the cerebral flow in the region of contralateral cerebral hemisphere symmetric to the zone of lesion. Under these conditions, afobazole produced a significant increase in the local circulation in cerebral cortex, which was violated by hemorrhagic stroke. The cerebrovascular effect of afobazole was not manifested in cases of hemorrhagic stroke on the background of GABA receptor blocking by bicuculline. The obtained results demonstrate that afobazole increases the cerebral blood flow not only under conditions of global transient cerebral ischemia, but on the hemorrhagic stroke model as well, which is probably related to a mediated drug effect on the GABA receptor complex.

The relationship between parameters of active avoidance conditioning and morphological changes in the hippocampus was investigated using pentylenetetrazole kindling animal model of epilepsy. Pentylenetetrazole kindling impaired learning of escape reaction and increased the number of intertrial crossings in a shuttle box during active avoidance conditioning. Kindling decreased the number of neurons in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 fields and in the dentate gyrus and increased the number of abnormally changed neurons, which displayed cell shrinkage and chromatophilic staining. Negative linear correlations were found between seizure severity and the number of normal neurons in the hippocampus (CA1 and CA3) and dentate gyms in the kindled rats. Positive correlations between the number of damaged neurons and seizure severity were revealed in the CA1 field of the hippocampus and dentate gyrus in the same group. No correlations could be found between the seizure score or behavioral indices in the active avoidance test, or between the indices of the active avoidance learning and the number of undamaged cells in the hippocampus. However, in the control animals, negative correlations were demonstrated between the number of damaged cells in the CA1 and CA3 field and the number of avoidance reactions in the first and last learning sessions.

The dependence of activation and blockade of GABA receptors influences on extinction of passive avoidance response from a type of receptors and initial psychoemotional state of mice is shown. The activation of GABAA receptors by muscimol disrupted extinction in norm and did not influence on delay of this process at mice with "behavioral despair". The activation of GABAB receptors by baclofen accelerated extinction of fair memory at mice with depressive-like state. The blockade of GABAA receptors by bicuculline was ineffective in modification of extinction. The blockade of GABAB receptors by phaclofen promoted retention of fear expression at intact mice and facilitation of extinction at "depressive" mice.

The influence of agonists and antagonists of GABA(B) receptors on the development of amnesia has been studied using the passive avoidance test in C57Bl/6J mice with previously generated aggressive and submissive behavioral stereotypes. It is established that baclofen in a dose of 1 mg/kg produces amnesia in aggressive mice and imparts stability with respect to the amnestic influence in submissive mice. Phaclofen in a dose of 5 mg/kg prevents the development of amnesia that is most strongly pronounced in submissive mice.

Investigation of changes in the hippocampal EEG produced by GABAergic and cholinergic substances delivered into the medial septum region was performed in awake rabbits. Changes in the threshold of seizure discharges in the hippocampus evoked by perforant path stimulation (model of acute epilepsy) were also examined. Injections of GABAA receptor antagonist picrotoxin or agonist of cholinergic receptors carbacholine in low doses induced an increase in the power of delta- and theta modulation and appearance of 7-12-Hz oscillations. The threshold of hippocampal seizure afterdischarges decreased. In higher doses, these substances evoked 7-15-Hz oscillations followed by seizures. GABAA receptor agonist muscimol and muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine decreased the power of the theta rhythm and increased the seizure threshold. Picrotoxin or carbacholine injected after muscimol or scopolamine, respectively, did not evoke seizures. Thus, we have shown the possibility to control hippocampal activity by local changes in the GABAergic and cholinergic systems of the medial septum region.

The activity of fluoxetine (prozac) and tianeptine (coaxil) was studied in outbred male rats under Porsolt and S. Nomura modified forced swim tests. The antidepressant effect of tianeptine was much more pronounced that that of fluoxetine. In the conflict situation test, fluoxetine produced anxiogenic action. In contrast, tianeptine decreased (albeit not reliably) the anxiety. In combination with bicuculline (GABAA receptor blocker), the anxiolytic action was more pronounced for both antidepressants, which was manifested by a significant increase in the number of punished water takes. A neural network explaining the observed behavior is proposed, which includes GABA-ergic intemeurons inhibiting serotonin release from serotoninergic terminals.

Presence of GABA-immunoreactive fibres in the nerve cervicalis inferior was shown as well as their regulatory effects upon contractions of the dorsal longitudinal muscle in Lymnaea stagnalis. The exogenous GABA affected the amplitude of evoked muscle contractions diminishing them at concentrations from 10(-8) M and augmenting them from above 10(-5) M. Picrotoxin produced opposite effects on the muscle contractions in the same concentration range. Bicucullin did not affect the contractions. The findings are discussed from the standpoint of the supposed functional heterogeneity of the GABA receptors in the mollusc nerve-muscle junction.

GABA, baclofen, isoguvacine increase, and cis-4-aminocrotonic acid does not modify resting membrane potential of muscle cells. Bicuculline, phaclofen, N-ethylmaleimide, chlorpromazine, verapamil, and removal of Ca2+ from bathing solution abolished the effect of baclofen, while U73122 and D609 were ineffective in this respect. The authors conclude that the Lumbricus terrestris muscle cells contain GABAergic structures similar to a- and b-receptors. Activation of GABA receptors induced Cl- inward current and Ca2+ entry with subsequent activation of calmodulin-like proteins, which causes membrane hyperpolarization by increasing the effect of "pumping potential" on resting membrane potential.

We studied the effect of furosemide on GABAA-induced 36Cl transport and GABAA-induced Cl- -ATPase activity in synaptic membranes of fish brain. At physiological pH of 7.4, GABA (0.1-100 microM) stimulated 36Cl transport in synaptoneurosomes and Cl- -ATPase activity in synaptic membranes. Furosemide (0.1-0.5 mM) removed the activating effect of the mediator on chlorine transport and enzyme activity (I50 equaled 0.16 and 0.12 mM, respectively). In the absence of the mediator, picrotoxin (50 microM) activated the basal 36Cl influx in synaptoneurosomes and the basal Mg2+ -ATPase activity of synaptic membranes. Furosemide (1 mM) removed the activating effect of picrotoxin on both biochemical processes. The obtained data demonstrated similar sensitivities of GABAA-induced transport of 36Cl in synaptoneurosomes and of GABAA-induced Cl- -ATPase activity in synaptic membranes to furosemide and indicated the involvement of the ATPase in GABAA-induced processes. The soluble ATPase, recovered by sodium deoxycholate solubilization of the membranes, remained sensitive to GABAA-ergic ligands, which suggested proximity of their binding sites with ATP hydrolysis sites of protein molecule and their structural contingency.

The effects of GABA, bicuculline and 5-HT on primary afferents in the isolated spinal cord of the frog Rana ridibunda were studied. Bath application of GABA (1 mM) reduced the primary afferent depolarisation (PAD) in IX segment of the spinal cord evoked by X dorsal root stimulation (57 +/- 8% of initial level, n = 5, p < 0.05). The action potentials (AP) recorded in dorsal root afferents was also suppressed under the GABA action (74 +/- 9%, p < 0.05). Bath application of bicuculline (50 microM) reduced the PAD (21 +/- 7%), n = 6, p < 0.05), meanwhile the AP in dorsal root afferents was resistant against the bicuculline action. Bath application of 5-HT (25 microM) depressed the PAD (34 +/- 7%, n = 7, p < 0.05) and the amplitude of the AP recorded from the single afferent fibre in dorsal column (76 +/- 6%, n = 7, p < 0.05). In contrast to GABA, 5-HT more effectively suppressed the late phase of the PAD evoked by X dorsal root stimulation and caused (76 +/- 6%, n = 7, p < 0.05) an alteration of the AP shape. All effects induced by these drugs were reversible. The mechanisms of GABA and 5-HT modulation of spinal cord afferent income are discussed.

Changes of conditioned impulse reaction of cortical neurons wer studied during microiontophoretic application of agonist and antagonists of glutamate and GABA transmission and their modulation by dopamine. It was shown paradoxal reaction of facilitation of impulse activity during iontophoretic application of ionotropic glutamate antagonist and depressive influences of metabotropic antagonist. Local iontophoretic application of dopamine increased background and evoked impulse activity of pyramidal neurons of deep layers of cortex and eliminated inhibitory influences of glutamate metabotropic antagonist MCPG. It is concluded that DA has stabilizing effects on activity of cortical neurons. It is suppose that these effects of DA realize through system of inhibitory interneurons.

We studied the combined effect of diazepam and GABAA-ergic ligands on the activity of Cl- -ATPase from plasma membrane of bream brain. of The membranes were preincubated and incubated with diazepam as well as with other GABAA-ergic ligands at physiological pH (7.4), i.e. under the conditions when Cl- -ATPase activity is undetectable. GABA (0.1-100 microM) induced Cl- -ATPase activity with the maximum effect at 10 microM. Diazepam (0.1 microM) enhanced the effect of low GABA concentrations (0.1-1 microM) on Cl- -ATPase activity but had no effect on the enzyme in the presence of high GABA concentrations (10-100 microM). At the same time, GABA (1 microM) enhanced the effect of low diazepam concentrations (0.1-1 microM) on the enzyme activity but had no effect on it in the presence of high concentrations of the ligand. Blockers of GABAA-ergic receptors, picrotoxin (50 microM) and bicuculline (5 microM), canceled the combined effect of diazepam and GABA on the enzyme activity. The obtained data demonstrate that the combined effect of diazepam and GABAA-ergic ligands on Cl- -ATPase activity at physiological pH is similar to the effect of these ligands on GABAA/benzodiazepine/Cl- channel.

Neurons of the cat motor cortex related to the lifting-withdrawal phase of forepaw placing reaction are preferentially activated by tactile stimulation of the dorsal surface of the forepaw. The placing reaction was altered in such a way that the innate "dorsal placing" was subjected to extinction and was substituted for the newly acquired conditioned reaction in response to the ventral side stimulation. This alteration of placing reaction led to the inversion of the innate input-output relationship in the motor cortex. The neurons related to forepaw lifting-withdrawal began to be activated by tactile stimulation of the ventral rather than dorsal forepaw surface. Local cortical disinhibition by bicuculline application at the recording site qualitatively changed neither normal input-output relationships nor inverse relationships after placing reaction alteration. This suggests that alteration of the sensorimotor coordination in cat motor cortex is underlain by changes in excitatory rather than inhibitory connections.

Pentylenetetrazole kindling (but not a single pentylenetetrazole injection) induced caspase-3 activation in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum of rats as well as neurodegeneration in the hippocampus. The number of neurons in the CA3 subfield of the hippocampus decreased significantly, whereas no apoptotic nuclei could be detected. The results support a possible non-apoptotic involvement of caspase-3 in brain plasticity.

Long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic efficacy is considered to be the most probable physiological mechanism of long-term memory. However, lack of understanding of cellular and subcellular mechanisms of LTP induction in freely behaving animals does not correspond to the importance of the problem. It was tested whether the characteristics of potentiation in the cingulate cortex after tetanization of the subiculocingulate tract (SCT) meet the criteria of true LTP (that passes all known stages in its development and lasts for more than a day in freely-behaving animals). Additionally, characteristics of spike responses to SCT stimulation and the effects of application of different glutamate receptor blockers were studied. Without application of GABA receptor blockers, the LTP lasted for more than 24 hours. Application of NMDA glutamate receptor blockers significantly inhibited field potentials evoke by testing stimulation. Short-latency spike responses to SCT stimulation were recorded with low probability that increased with stimulation intensity. The obtained data reveal the possibility to compare the involvement of cingulate neurons in acquisition of adaptive behavior and changes in their spike responses during the LTP development in freely-moving rats.

(-)-Baclophen was found to depress in a dose-dependent and reversible way the excitatory post-synaptic potentials (EPSPS) of motor neurons and the ventral root potentials evoked by stimulation of fibres of the ipsi- and contralateral ventral columns. The (-)-baclophen depressing effect could be eliminated with saclophen. Picrotoxin eliminated the depressing effect of the GABA on the descending EPSPS. Depressing effects of (-)-baclophen and GABA upon the ventral root potentials were also shown. The data obtained in pharmacological analysis corroborate to a certain extent existence of the GABAB receptor presynaptic inhibition in descending fibres monosynaptically corrected with the spinal cord motor neurons in the frog Rana ridibunda.

Changes in conditioned impulse reactions of neurons in sensorimotor cortex were studied during microiontophoretic application of glutamatergic and GABA ergic agonistic and antagonistic drugs. It was shown that ionotropic glutamate receptors (AMPA and NMDA) are activated by a conditioned stimulus. Not only large pyramidal neurons of deep cortical layers but surrounding short-axon inhibitory interneurons are involved in the reaction. It was shown that the activity of pyramidal neurons is under a constant inhibitory control from surrounding interneurons. This inhibition is involved in organization of excitatory cortical responses during conditioning.

The individual sensitivity of the male Wistar rats to acute pentylenetetrazole injection was studied, the density and the affinity of benzodiazepine receptors in the cerebellar cortex for 3H-diazepam was measured. It was demonstrated that the reactivity of benzodiazepine receptors underlies the individual sensitivity to pentylenetetrazole. The animals with higher sensitivity were characterized by more intensive reaction than the control and resistant animals, i.e., by an decrease in the receptors density (the initial receptors density being equal in the sensitive, resistant, and control animals). Daily injections of a subconvulsive dose of pentylenetetrazole during 24 days increase the animal sensitivity to this substance, and this was accompanied by an increase in the reactivity of benzodiasepine receptors. Later on, the produced high sensitivity became somewhat lower but persisted for 6 months. The receptors density in this period reduced almost by half. In sensitive rats, a single low dose of pentylenetetrazole injected 6 months after treatment increased the density of benzodiazepine receptors. The age-matched controls, the same acute dose of pentylenetetrazole decreased both the receptor density and affinity of their binding. It is suggested that the increase in reactivity of benzodiazepine receptors is actualized via the intracellular metabotropic feedback mechanism.

Neurochemical analysis using anxiosedative and anxioselective agents injected into the hypothalamus revealed that antiaversive action of camprione is only realised under conditions of domineering fear motivation whereas that of chlordiazepoxide, phenibut, indoter may also be realised under conditions of negative stressful zoo-social impacts mediated by serotonin.

The experiments using "illuminated site" and "threatening situation" avoidance tests on rats microinjected with GABA, glutamic acid, monoamines and their agonists and antagonists, as well as anxiosedative and anxioselective agents into the anterior hypothalamus revealed functional ambiguity in the neurochemical profile of this limbic brain formation in the anxiety states of various aversive genesis. Preliminary intraperitoneal injection of the monoamine and GABA antagonists, followed by the local administration of the antianxiety drugs studied, showed that the antiaversive action of chlordiazepoxide, fenibut, and indoter is manifested in both anxiety models via a GABAergic mechanism in the anterior hypothalamus. The anxiolytic effect of campiron is manifested only under negative-stressor zoosocial conditions and is mediated by the serotoninergic systems of this limbic brain formation.

Impairment of avoidance conditioning in the shuttle box was found in rats with bicuculline intrapallidal administration, as well as activation of the conditioning and stereotyped movements during amphetamine intrastriatal administration. These neuropharmacological effects upon both ganglia areas induced dynamic behavioural changes in the avoidance conditioning and open-field locomotor activity. The findings suggest involvement of neostriatalpallidal relationship in control of avoidance conditioning and complex behavioural acts.

Chaotic oscillations of extracellular potential of field-type nerve tissues are simulated by a 2D coupled map lattice. These tissues, say, the fields of the hippocampus, are represented by neural mass sheets consisting of current sources. The relationship between the source-sink ensembles and the extracellular field potential at each discrete instant of time t = 1, 2, ... is described by a single-site map creating chaos. The 2D coupled map lattice is viewed as a network of diffusively coupled the maps creating spatiotemporal chaos. The conversion of chaotic oscillations into synchronous ones, which are typical for epileptiform discharges, is studied. The results obtained are in good agreement with those derived from hippocampal slices treated with picrotoxin.

Ethological procedures were used to study the effects of GABA-positive drugs on aggression in male albino mice kept in isolation (opponent test). The results revealed several variants of antiaggressive effects of the tested GAB Aergic drugs: 1) antiaggressive, re-socializing of GABAA agonists muscimol (0.125 and 0.5 mg/kg) and THIP (2.0 mg/kg), and GABAB agonist baclofen (2.5-10 mg/kg); 2) antiaggressive, sedative of GABAB agonists baclofen (12.5 mg/kg), phenibut (50-100 mg/kg), and inhibitor of GABA transamininase sodium valproate (100 mg/kg); 3) antiaggressive, anxiogenic for muscimol (1 mg/kg), THIP (5 mg/kg), and sodium valproate (25-50 mg/kg).

Activity of neurons in the motor cortex was recorded in anesthetized cats with glass micropipettes filled with bicuculline solution (bicuculline methiodide, 10 mM in 1 M NaCl). Under these conditions, the minimal (near-threshold) electrical stimulation of the area 5 of the parietal cortex evoked the late neuronal discharges (in 30-200-ms poststimulus interval) in the motor cortex. Such discharges resembled the late NMDA-dependent discharges recorded in the motor cortex of awake cats in response to stimulation of the parietal cortex, which produced the preliminary elaborated conditioned forepaw placing. Under the same conditions, tetanic stimulation of the parietal cortex (100 Hz, 10-20s) led to the long-term potentiation of the late response, which manifested itself as response amplitude augmentation and latency shortening.

In chronic cat experiments, bicucullin-induced GABA receptor blockade in the dorsal and ventral parts of the rostral caudate nucleus resulted in complicated changes in spontaneous activity of 19 of 55 neurons, primarily in the cells with low spike frequency. Changes were observed also in 8 to 31 neurons of VA-VL nuclei of the thalamus. The blockade of striatal GABA receptors was accompanied by changes in motor behavior and emotional motivational state of the animals. The character and latency of unit activity rearrangements in the caudate nucleus and modifications of cat's behavior depended on the localization of bicucullin injection point within different parts of the caudate nucleus.

Many neurons in the cat primary visual cortex reveal sensitivity to cruciform and corner figures as well as to local orientation discontinuities. We investigated this sensitivity in 85 V1 neurons before and after the local blockade of GABA(A)ergic inhibition by microiontophoretic application of bicuculline and observed two opposite effects: a decrease or disappearance of sensitivity to crosses in about half of the neurons and its increase or appearance in about one third of the units. The results indicate substantial and drastically different contribution of intracortical inhibition to sensitivity to line-crossings in the visual cortical neurons. Some possible mechanisms of this difference are discussed.

It is generally accepted that gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is one of the main inhibitory transmitter in the mammalian brain. There are three types of GABA receptors in the vertebrata central nervous system: the GABAA, GABAB and GABAC receptors. The GABAA receptor is a GABA-gated Cl- channel and is the tetramer ore the pentamer made of some classes of subunit (alpha, beta, gamma, delta). GABAB receptors are not affiliated with Cl(-) ionophore. GABAB receptors appear to be coupled to Ca2+ and K+ channels of presynaptic membranes. It seems they regulate the release of neurotransmitters release. The structural and functional properties of GABA receptors are discussed.

The interaction between N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)- and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA)-dependent components of excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSP) was studied in rat hippocampal slices. Responses evoked by stimulation of the collateral commissural fibers were recorded in the radial layer of the CA1 area. Contribution of the NMDA component was changed by application of solutions with different concentrations of magnesium. In solutions with low magnesium concentration, when both AMPA and NMDA components contribute significantly to EPSP, suppression of one of the components by application of selective antagonist resulted in increase in the area of another component. Thus, the sum of pharmacologically isolated AMPA and NMDA components was significantly higher than the control EPSP. For example, at 0.1 mM of magnesium in the extracellular solution the sum of the components was 340 +/- 120% of the control EPSP (p < 0.01, N = 6). The data imply that under the control conditions the EPSP components suppress each other. The mutual suppression of the AMPA and NMDA component of the EPSP can be an important factor which influences the conductivity and plastic properties of central glutamatergic synaptic pathways.

The persistent negative potential (PNP) developed after a single wave of cortical spreading depression (SD) in the cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, and caudate nucleus. The PNP lasted for about 3-4 hours, its amplitude was 6-7 mV in the ipsilateral and 3-4 mV in the contralateral structures. After development of bilateral primary cortical SD waves the amplitudes of the respective PNP were summed up and reached 9-11 mV. However, after the repeated waves of cortical SD produced with 15-30-min intervals, the PNP level remained unchanged. We think that the PNP is an electrographic manifestation of the well known persistent vasoconstriction after a single wave of cortical SD. It seems to be related with reticular activation due to functional decortication.

Application of picrotoxin to apical dendrites in the CA1 area of the rat hippocampal slices increased the duration of focal potentials (FP) in the stratum radiatum but did not affect the unit activity spikes' amplitude in the stratum pyramidalis, the finding suggesting a suppression of the feed-forward inhibition with no effect upon the recurrent one. The data obtained shows that, under conditions normally used for studying the NMDA-EPSP feed-forward, the inhibition is not invariably suppressed and may affect the results of the studies.