OBJECTIVES Nucleus Raphe Magnus (NRM) that is involved in the regulation of body temperature contains nitric oxide (NO) synthase. Considering the effect of NO on skin blood flow control, in this study, we assessed its thermoregulatory role within the raphe magnus. MATERIALS AND METHODS To this end, tail blood flow of male Wistar rats was measured by laser doppler following the induction of hy...

G-protein inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels mediate the synaptic actions of numerous neurotransmitters in the mammalian brain and play an important role in the regulation of neuronal excitability in most brain regions through activation of various G-protein-coupled receptors such as the serotonin 5-HT(1A) receptor. In this report we describe the localization of GIRK1, GIRK2, and GIR...

Area V4 has numerous, topographically organized connections with multiple cortical areas, some of which are important for spatially organized visual processing, and others which seem important for spatial attention. Although the topographic organization of V4's connections with other cortical areas has been established, the detailed topography of its connections with subcortical areas is unclea...

UNLABELLED Imaging of serotonin transporter (SERT) in the central nervous system may provide an important tool to evaluate some psychiatric disorders. Recently, a novel (123)I-labeled radiotracer, 2-((2-((dimethylamino)methyl)phenyl)thio)-5-iodophenylamine ((123)I-ADAM), has been developed that exhibited a high selectivity for SERT. The aim of this study was to characterize the biodistribution ...

Using antibodies generated to the C-terminal 63 amino acids of the cloned rat mu receptor, the present study examines the distribution of the mu receptorlike immunoreactivity (li) in perfused rat brain sections. Generally, the localization of the mu receptor-li compares well with previous receptor binding studies, with staining observed in such regions as the caudateputamen, nucleus accumbens, ...

The norepinephrine transporter (NET) is a site of action for tricyclic antidepressant drugs and for drugs of abuse such as amphetamine and cocaine. In this study, the binding of [3H]nisoxetine to NETs in the noradrenergic cell group, the locus coeruleus, and the serotonergic cell groups, the dorsal raphe nuclei, was measured autoradiographically in postmortem human brain. [3H]nisoxetine binding...

The forebrain serotonergic system is a crucial component in the control of impulsive behaviours. However, there is no direct evidence for natural serotonin activity during behaviours for delayed rewards as opposed to immediate rewards. Herein we show that serotonin efflux is enhanced while rats perform a task that requires waiting for a delayed reward. We simultaneously measured the levels of s...

Previous experience with stressors over which the subject has behavioral control blocks the typical behavioral consequences of subsequent exposure to stressors over which the organism has no behavioral control. The present experiments explored the involvement of the ventral medial prefrontal cortex (mPFCv) in mediating this "immunizing" or resilience producing effect of an initial experience wi...

Descending projections arising from brainstem serotonergic (5HT) neurons contribute to both facilitatory and inhibitory controls of spinal cord "pain" transmission neurons. Unclear, however, are the brainstem networks that influence the output of these 5HT neurons. To address this question, here we used a novel neuroanatomical tracing method in a transgenic line of mice in which Cre recombinase...

A recently discovered satiety molecule, nesfatin-1, is localized in neurons of the hypothalamus and brain stem and colocalized with stress-related substances, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), oxytocin, proopiomelanocortin, noradrenaline (NA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). Intracerebroventricular (icv) administration of nesfatin-1 produces fear-related behaviors and potentiates stressor-i...