Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Yawning and Penile Erection induced in Rats by Cortical Spreading Depression

Abstract

BEHAVIOUR can be stimulated as well as disrupted by cortical spreading depression (CSD)—the massive wave of neural depolarization and subsequent EEG depression which can be induced to spread slowly over a cortical hemisphere by injection of KCl. Eating, drinking and locomotor behaviour have been elicited in rats by administering single waves of CSD (ref. 1). Consummatory behaviour was most likely to be elicited if an animal had extensive feeding experience in the testing chamber. I wish to describe two further effects of single waves of CSD, the induction of penile erections and of stretching and yawning responses.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Huston, J. P., and Bureš, J., Science, 196, 702 (1970).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Janebova, M., Physiologia Bohemoslovaca (in the press).

  3. Bureš, J., Burešova, O., and Křivanek, J., The Mechanism and Application of Leao's Spreading Depression (Academic Press, London and New York, in the press).

  4. Barbizet, J., J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiat., 21, 203 (1958).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Bertolini, A., Gessa, G. L., Vergoni, W., and Ferrari, W., Life Sci., 7, 1203 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Bertolini, A., Vergoni, W., Gessa, G. L., and Ferrari, W., Nature, 221, 667 (1969).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Gessa, G. L., Pisano, M., Vargiu, L., Crabai, F., and Ferrari, W., Rev. Canad. Biol., 26, 229 (1967).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Hall, K. R., Nature, 196, 1258 (1962).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

HUSTON, J. Yawning and Penile Erection induced in Rats by Cortical Spreading Depression. Nature 232, 274–275 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/232274a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/232274a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing