 |
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
Previous Article | Next Article
The Journal of Neuroscience, October 1, 2002, 22(19):8711-8719
Behavioral Consequences of Bicuculline Injection in the Subthalamic Nucleus and the Zona Incerta in Rat
Céline Périer, Léon Tremblay, Jean Féger, and Etienne C. Hirsch Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U289, Experimental Neurology and Therapeutics, Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, 75013 Paris, France
The subthalamic nucleus (STN) plays a crucial role in basal ganglia functions and has been shown to be hyperactive in parkinsonian syndromes. The zona incerta (ZI), located dorsally to the STN, is also reported to be overactive after nigrostriatal denervation. In this study, we examined the behavioral consequences of an increased activity of the STN or the ZI in awake, freely moving rats. Unilateral microinjections of a GABAA receptor antagonist (bicuculline; 25, 50, and 100 µg/µl) were performed in the STN or in the ZI of rats, and locomotor activity, spontaneous behaviors, and the occurrence of abnormal movements were quantified. Microinjection of bicuculline (50 and 100 µg/µl) into the STN did not modify spontaneous locomotor activity, whereas it induced an increase in locomotion when injected into the ZI. Furthermore, when injected into the STN or ZI, these same doses of bicuculline produced changes in spontaneous behaviors (sniffing and grooming decreased whereas chewing and rearing increased) and the appearance of abnormal movements directed contralaterally to the injection side. Application of a lower dose of bicuculline (25 ng/µl) in the STN or ZI did not modify behavior. This study suggests that the subthalamic region including the ZI, and not the STN per se, might be involved in the induction of abnormal movements. In addition, these data suggest that the hyperactivity of neurons in this region may have different consequences in the normal state and in the pathological state.
Key words: bicuculline; zona incerta; subthalamic nucleus; behavior; rat; microinjection
Copyright © 2002 Society for Neuroscience 0270-6474/02/22198711-09$05.00/0
This article has been cited by other articles:
N. Suntsova, R. Guzman-Marin, S. Kumar, Md. N. Alam, R. Szymusiak, and D. McGinty
The Median Preoptic Nucleus Reciprocally Modulates Activity of Arousal-Related and Sleep-Related Neurons in the Perifornical Lateral Hypothalamus
J. Neurosci., February 14, 2007; 27(7): 1616 - 1630.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
S. Boulet, E. Lacombe, C. Carcenac, C. Feuerstein, V. Sgambato-Faure, A. Poupard, and M. Savasta
Subthalamic stimulation-induced forelimb dyskinesias are linked to an increase in glutamate levels in the substantia nigra pars reticulata.
J. Neurosci., October 18, 2006; 26(42): 10768 - 10776.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
P. Plaha, Y. Ben-Shlomo, N. K. Patel, and S. S. Gill
Stimulation of the caudal zona incerta is superior to stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus in improving contralateral parkinsonism
Brain, July 1, 2006; 129(7): 1732 - 1747.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
L. Alvarez, R. Macias, G. Lopez, E. Alvarez, N. Pavon, M. C. Rodriguez-Oroz, J. L. Juncos, C. Maragoto, J. Guridi, I. Litvan, et al.
Bilateral subthalamotomy in Parkinson's disease: initial and long-term response
Brain, March 1, 2005; 128(3): 570 - 583.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
C. Hamani, J. A. Saint-Cyr, J. Fraser, M. Kaplitt, and A. M. Lozano
The subthalamic nucleus in the context of movement disorders
Brain, January 1, 2004; 127(1): 4 - 20.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|