Β-adrenoceptors in the medial amygdaloid nucleus modulate the tachycardiac response to restraint stress in rats.

In the present study, we investigated the involvement of ß-adrenoceptors in the medial amygdaloid nucleus (MeA) in cardiovascular responses evoked in rats submitted to an acute restraint stress. We first pretreated Wistar rats with the nonselective ß-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol microinjected bilaterally into the MeA (10, 15, and 20 nmol/100 nL) 10 min before exposure to acute restraint. The pretreatment with propranolol did not affect the blood pressure (BP) increase evoked by restraint. However, it increased the tachycardiac response caused by acute restraint when animals were pretreated with a dose of 15 nmol, without a significant effect on the BP response. This result indicates that ß-adrenoceptors in the MeA have an inhibitory influence on restraint-evoked heart rate (HR) changes. Pretreatment with the selective ß(2)-adrenoceptor antagonist ICI 118,551 (10, 15, and 20 nmol/100 nL) significantly increased the restraint-evoked tachycardiac response after doses of 15 and 20 nmol, an effect that was similar to that observed after the pretreatment with propranolol at a dose of 15 nmol, without a significant effect on the BP response. Pretreatment of the MeA with the selective ß(1)-adrenoceptor antagonist CGP 20712 (10, 15, and 20 nmol/100 nL) caused an opposite effect on the HR response, and a significant decrease in the restraint-evoked tachycardia was observed only after the dose of 20 nmol, without a significant effect on the BP response. Because propranolol is an equipotent antagonist of both ß(1) and ß(2)-adrenoceptors, and opposite effects were observed after the treatment with the higher doses of the selective antagonists ICI 118,551 and CGP 20712, the narrow window in the dose-response to propranolol could be explained by a functional antagonism resulting from the simultaneous inhibition of ß(1) and ß(2)-adrenoceptors by the treatment with propranolol. The present results suggest that ß(2)-adrenoceptors have an inhibitory influence on the restraint-evoked tachycardiac response, whereas ß(1)-adrenoceptors have a facilitatory influence on the restraint-evoked tachycardiac response.

Paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus mediate cardiovascular responses evoked by the microinjection of noradrenaline into the medial amygdaloid nucleus of the rat brain.

The medial amygdaloid nucleus (MeA) is a part of the limbic system and is involved in cardiovascular modulation. We previously reported that microinjection of noradrenaline (NA) into the MeA of unanesthetized rats caused pressor and bradycardiac responses, which were mediated by acute vasopressin release into the systemic circulation. In the present study, we tested the possible involvement of magnocellular neurons of the paraventricular (PVN) and/or supraoptic (SON) of the hypothalamus that synthesize vasopressin in the cardiovascular pathway activated by the microinjection of NA into the MeA. Pressor and bradycardiac responses to the microinjection of NA (27 nmol/100 nL) into the MeA were blocked by pretreatment of either the PVN or the SON with cobalt chloride (CoCl(2), 1 mM/100 nL), thus indicating that both hypothalamic nuclei mediate the cardiovascular responses evoked by microinjection of NA into the MeA. Our results suggest that the pressor and bradycardiac response caused by the microinjection of NA into the MeA is mediated by magnocellular neurons in both the PVN and SON.

Medial amygdaloid nucleus 5-HT2c receptors are involved in the hypophagic effect caused by zimelidine in rats.

The medial amygdaloid nucleus (MeA) is a sub-region of the amygdaloid complex that has been described as participating in food intake regulation. Serotonin has been known to play an important role in appetite and food intake regulation. Moreover, serotonin 5-HT(2C) and 5-HT(1A) receptors appear to be critical in food intake regulation. We investigated the role of the serotoninergic system in the MeA on feeding behavior regulation in rats. The current study examined the effects on feeding behavior regulation of the serotonin reuptake inhibitor, zimelidine, administered directly into the MeA or given systemically, and the serotoninergic receptors mediating its effect. Our results showed that microinjection of zimelidine (0.2, 2 and 20 nmol/100 nL) into the MeA evoked dose dependent hypophagic effects in fasted rats. The selective 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist WAY-100635 (18.5 nmol/100 nL) or the 5-HT(1B) receptor antagonist SB-216641 microinjected bilaterally into the MeA did not change the hypophagic effect evoked by local MeA zimelidine treatment. However, microinjection of the selective 5-HT(2C) receptor antagonist SB-242084 (10 nmol/100 nL) was able to block the hypophagic effect of zimelidine. Moreover, microinjection of the 5-HT(2C) receptor antagonist SB-242084 into the MeA also blocked the hypophagic effect caused by zimelidine administered systemically. These results suggest that MeA 5-HT(2C) receptors modulate the hypophagic effect caused by local MeA administration as well as by systemic zimelidine administration. Furthermore, 5-HT(2C) into the MeA could be a potential target for systemic administration of zimelidine.

The medial amygdaloid nucleus modulates cardiovascular responses to acute restraint in rats.

The medial amygdaloid nucleus (MeA) modulates several physiological and behavioral processes and among them, the cardiovascular correlates of behavioral responses to stressful stimuli. Acute restraint evokes cardiovascular responses, which are characterized by both elevated blood pressure (BP) and intense heart rate (HR) increase. We presently report effects of MeA pharmacological manipulations on BP and HR responses evoked by acute restraint in rats. Bilateral microinjection of 100 nL of the unspecific synaptic blocker CoCl(2) (1 mM) into the MeA increased HR response to acute restraint, without significant effect on the BP response. This result indicates an inhibitory influence of MeA on restraint-evoked HR changes. Injections of the non-selective muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine (3 nmol); the inhibitor of choline uptake hemicholinium (2 nmol) or the selective M(1)-receptor antagonist pirenzepine (6 nmol) caused effects that were similar to those caused by cobalt. These results suggest that local cholinergic neurotransmission and M(1)-receptors mediate the MeA inhibitory influence on restraint-related HR responses. Pretreatment with the M3 receptor antagonist 4-DAMP (4-Diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine methiodide-2 nmol) did not affect restraint-related cardiovascular responses, reinforcing the idea that M(1)-receptors mediate MeA-related inhibitory influence on restraint-evoked HR increase.