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Are Noradrenaline Excitations Artefacts ?

Abstract

IT has frequently been reported that noradrenaline applied by microiontophoresis depresses firing in neurones of the central nervous system1–11. Excitatory responses have also been found, however, both in cells which are, and in cells which are not, depressed by noradrenaline12–19. In the former case, depression is followed by a delayed excitation. In all cases excitatory responses are delayed and often reach a maximum after the end of the application, after which the cell does not recover its original firing rate for 2–3 min. Furthermore, the excitant effects of noradrenaline are stereospecific for l-noradrenaline and can be blocked by the common adrenergic blocking agents12–14,18 whereas the depressant responses are not stereospecific and cannot usually be blocked by these agents2,5, 8,12–14. It has therefore been suggested that noradrenaline is an excitatory transmitter in the brain, and that the depressant effects represent a non-specific effect on cellular membranes or processes14.

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STONE, T. Are Noradrenaline Excitations Artefacts ?. Nature 234, 145–146 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/234145a0

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