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Depletion of Brain Amines reverses Blood Pressure Response to Footshock in Rat

Nature New Biology volume 240, pages 276–277 (1972)Cite this article

Abstract

WHEN unavoidable electric footshocks are delivered to two rats in an enclosure, they engage in species-specific stereotyped fighting behaviour1, and a significant decrease in tail blood pressure ensues2. Conversely, when the same shocks are delivered to single rats alone in the cage, only disorganized escape behaviour is displayed and a significant increase in blood pressure ensues2. The reversal of the blood pressure response to shock in pairs, from a significant decrease to a significant increase, produced by intravenous 6-hydroxydopa-mine (6-OHDA) indicated the need for intact peripheral sympathetic nerve terminals for blood pressure to decrease after shock-induced fighting (our work in preparation). We report here an investigation of the role of central nervous system (CNS) catecholamines, using intracisternally administered 6-OHDA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Clinical Psychobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20014

    R. B. WILLIAMS & B. EICHELMAN

  2. Laboratory of Clinical Science, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20014

    L. K. Y. NG

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  1. R. B. WILLIAMS
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  2. B. EICHELMAN
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  3. L. K. Y. NG
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WILLIAMS, R., EICHELMAN, B. & NG, L. Depletion of Brain Amines reverses Blood Pressure Response to Footshock in Rat. Nature New Biology 240, 276–277 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio240276a0

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