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We have applied the electroshock-induced fighting behavior to the study of experimental alcohol dependence. Adult Wistar rats were intoxicated chronically with ethanol (10 g/kg/24 h) for 13 days. Electroshock-induced fighting behavior was studied during chronic intoxication and withdrawal in comparison with normal rats receiving a water-carbohydrate solution isocaloric to ethanol. Rats were divided into groups receiving respectively muscimol (0.25 mg/kg), a GABAA agonist; homotaurine (140 mg/kg) a GABA mimetic; and physiological saline (10 ml/kg), intraperitoneally. During chronic intoxication, rats showed an increase in defensive-fighting behavior. Withdrawal accentuated the aggressive behavior and muscimol and homotaurine inhibited it. These results confirm the relevance of the electroshock-induced defensive fighting behavior test in chronic intoxication with alcohol, but to show the involvement of GABAergic transmission in the behavioral effects of alcohol withdrawal, additional experiments with other GABA mimetics and with GABA antagonists should be considered.

Experimental study of neuro-endocrinological effects of noise stress shows neuro-mediator modifications. Exposure to stress induces a marked stimulation of the adrenergic structures which increases plasma concentrations of ACTH and glucosteroids. The increased secretion of the cortico-releasing factor (CRT) from the hypothalamo-hypophyseal system mediates a complex cascade in which other neuro-modulators also participate. Within the CNS, CRF activates the sympathetic nervous system, raising plasma concentrations of epinephrine and nor-epinephrine. These neuro-mediator and endocrine variations modify the activity of central nervous structures, mainly hypothalamic (endocrine) and hippocampic (emotion) formations, inducing many homeostatic perturbations. Stress also causes marked alterations in the immune function. In chronically noise-stressed patients, a comparative clinical study showed a significant increase of the plasmatic STH, but no modification of others biological parameters. Some psychosomatic disorders and also a psychological unbalance were seen in these patients. The final response to a stressful event will either be no or certain specific chemical and physiological changes which will depend greatly on the ability of the individual to cope with the outside stimuli.

Waking and sleep states were studied in the alcohol-dependent rat after administration of ethanol (416 mg/kg/hr) by indwelling intragastric catheter (IGC) for 13 days. Electropolygraphic recordings performed for a total of 24 hr from the start of withdrawal were compared with those of control rats receiving water by IGC and showed 1) that rapid eye movement sleep was the most sensitive of the four vigilance states studied. A decrease was noted both for the total duration of recording and for the light period; 2) that nonactive wakefulness was the only vigilance state to show an inversion of percentages between the light and dark period; 3) that the light period was the best time for studying changes in vigilance states. Changes included increased percentages of active and nonactive wakefulness and decreased percentages of slow-wave and rapid eye movement sleep. This was due to a change in the number of episodes rather to a change in their mean duration. No significant change occurred during the dark period.

The authors assess the results of several studies, fundamental or clinical with therapeutic tests, to demonstrate a possible role of prostaglandins--specially of a possible lack of PGE1--in the pathogeny of certain forms of schizophrenia. The heterogeneousness of the results leads one to think there's heterogeneousness of the illness. Meanwhile, in certain cases, the contribution of a direct precursor of PGE1 the GLA, has given possible noticeable clinical results, mainly with deficiency symptoms.

Soulairac André. L’évolution du système nerveux dans la sérié animale (XVI et XVII). In: Bulletin du Groupe d'études de psychologie de l'Université de Paris, 3e année n°5-6, 1950. pp. 24-30.

Soulairac André. L'évolution du système nerveux dans la série animale et les niveaux de comportement. In: Bulletin du Groupe d'études de psychologie de l'Université de Paris, 4e année n°6-8, 1951. pp. 336-341.

Soulairac André. Le Batracien (suite). Les Reptiles — les oiseaux. In: Bulletin du Groupe d'études de psychologie de l'Université de Paris, 4e année n°5, 1951. pp. 277-289.

Soulairac André. L’évolution du système nerveux dans la série animale, 2e semestre : VII à XVIII (Fin). Les réactions d’orientation chez les animaux . In: Bulletin du Groupe d'études de psychologie de l'Université de Paris, 3e année n°14-15, 1950. pp. 68-85.

Summary To examine the relationship between pain sensation, cortical and hippocampal activities and the effects of central analgesics (morphine, pethidine and dextromoramide), we studied simultaneously behavioral reaction and electroencephalographic activity in rats during painful stimulation. Slight pain, just above the threshold of reaction, produces a simple reticular and cortical awaking. On the other hand, a strong pain, producing affective manifestations, is accompanied by hippocampal awaking, the duration of which is equal to the hyperexcitability measured in animals. The three analgesic substances studied produce an ECoG with sharp high waves 10 min after the injection. These waves present an epileptic aspect which can, with pethidine, cause true generalized seizure. Generally, the reticular mesencephalic formation is not concerned. Specifically these substances inhibit hippocampal awaking, and as a related activity they inhibit the most integrated painful reactions. We conclude that the hippocampal awakening is an electrophysiologic counterpart of the affective reactions to pain and that central analgesics tend to abolish thit hippocampal reaction.

Soulairac André. Rôle des hormones dans le comportement animal (III et IV). In: Bulletin du Groupe d'études de psychologie de l'Université de Paris, 2e année n°2, 1949. pp. 14-20.

Soulairac M. Rôle des hormones dans le comportement animal (I et II). In: Bulletin du Groupe d'études de psychologie de l'Université de Paris, 2e année n°1, 1948. pp. 20-24.

Soulairac André. Rôle des hormones dans le comportement animal (VIII à X). In: Bulletin du Groupe d'études de psychologie de l'Université de Paris, 2e année n°5, 1949. pp. 35-42.

Soulairac André. L’Evolution du système nerveux chez les vertébrés et les niveaux de comportement (I, II, III, IV, V). In: Bulletin du Groupe d'études de psychologie de l'Université de Paris, 4e année n°3, 1950. pp. 118-129.

Soulairac André, Lapetite Denise. VII. - Le comportement d'amassement (hoarding) chez les rongeurs. In: L'année psychologique. 1946 vol. 47-48. pp. 128-135.

(1) The hypothalamus represents the part of the CNS which integrates the different stimuli inducing male sexual behavior. (2) Castration abolishes the sexual responses which are restored by androgen administration. (3) Some nervous lesions (frontal cortex, pre-optic area, mammillary bodies) also produce disappearance of sexual behavior, but androgen administration does not restore it. (4) In contrast, in CNS-lesioned rats, neuro-stimulating drugs produce immediate behavioral recovery. Caffeine is especially active in frontal- and hypothalamic-lesioned rats. (5) Weak neonatal estrogenization of male rats brings about the abolition of sexual behavior in adulthood in 50% of animals and no restoration occurred with androgen treatment. In the other animals, the behavior was restored by amphetamine. Caffeine was without effect. (6) These data show that, to obtain male sexual responses, hormone action is a necessary, but not sufficient, requirement. The anatomical and functional integrity of the nervous structures, previously hormone-sensitized, is necessary for expression of sexual behavior.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the complimentary effect on pituitary gonadal function. Testicular hypertrophy response was used as a measurement for relative effect of light and social effect on neurosecretory activity in hypothalamo-hypophysial complex. Right testes (larger of the two) were removed from male doves and were weighed. Birds were then assigned to various combinations of (1) short vs . normal light cycle, and (2) isolation vs. social stimulation. At the end of 4 weeks all birds were laporatomized. The left testis was removed, weighed and expressed in percentage weight of right testis for each bird. This effect is not attributable to added light exposure associated with female-exposure period. The results were discussed in terms of existing hypothalamic neurosecretory system. In addition, the chapter also deals with the inhibition effects of “neo-natal” estrogenization on the sexual behavior of the male rat and modifications of the genital tract.