Title: | 2-Heptanone increases the firing rate of the basal amygdala: role of anterior olfactory epithelial organs |
Author(s): | Contreras CM; Gutierrez-Garcia AG; Molina-Jimenez T; Mendoza-Lopez R; |
Address: | "Unidad Periferica Xalapa, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomedicas, Universidad Nacional Xalapa, Mexico. ccontreras@uv.mx" |
ISSN/ISBN: | 1423-0224 (Electronic) 0302-282X (Linking) |
Abstract: | "Wistar rats subjected to physical stress release a urine alarm pheromone (2-heptanone) that produces signs of anxiety and despair in receptor rats not subjected to physical stress. However, unknown are the effects of 2-heptanone on the firing rate of the basal amygdala, a structure that participates in the expression of fear, and the participation of anterior olfactory epithelial organs, namely the septal organ and vomeronasal organ (SO-VNO). We explored the effects of 2-heptanone applied near the nostrils on single-unit extracellular recordings from the basal amygdala in a sham-operated group and rats that underwent removal of the SO-VNO. The firing rate of basal amygdala neurons in the SO-VNO removal group was significantly higher than in the sham-operated group. In both groups, recordings were classified according to the responses to 2-heptanone (i.e., increased firing rate, decreased firing rate, and no response). SO-VNO removal was associated with an increased firing rate in the three types of neurons. A similar number of neurons increased their firing rate during and after 2-heptanone stimulation in both groups, but such an increase in firing rate was longer in the group of rats subjected to SO-VNO removal. The results indicate that the SO-VNO is not essential for the effect of 2-heptanone on the firing rate of basal amygdala neurons. SO-VNO ablation did not block but rather accentuated the response of amygdala neurons to 2-heptanone" |
Keywords: | "Action Potentials/*drug effects Amygdala/*cytology Analysis of Variance Animals Electric Stimulation Ketones/*pharmacology Male Neurons/*drug effects Olfactory Pathways/physiology Rats Rats, Wistar Time Factors Vomeronasal Organ/*physiology;" |
Notes: | "MedlineContreras, Carlos M Gutierrez-Garcia, Ana G Molina-Jimenez, Tania Mendoza-Lopez, Remedios eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Switzerland 2012/09/06 Neuropsychobiology. 2012; 66(3):167-73. doi: 10.1159/000339946. Epub 2012 Aug 29" |