Previous studies have suggested that substance P (SP) plays a critical role in the development of brain oedema and functional deficits following traumatic brain injury and that SP receptor antagonism may improve outcome. No studies have described such a role in ischemic stroke. The present study characterized the effects of the NK1 tachykinin receptor antagonist, n-acetyl-L-tryptophan (NAT), on...

Specificity in the actions of different modulatory neurons is often attributed to their having distinct cotransmitter complements. We are assessing the validity of this hypothesis with the stomatogastric nervous system of the crab Cancer borealis. In this nervous system, the stomatogastric ganglion (STG) contains a multifunctional network that generates the gastric mill and pyloric rhythms. Two...

Tachykinins are excitatory neuropeptides synthesised in neuronal and glial cells of the human central and peripheral nervous system. They participate in both physiological and certain pathological conditions, i.e. synaptic transmission, nociception and neuroimmunomodulation. Tachykinins act as excitatory neurotransmitters and/or neuromodulators and induce DNA synthesis leading to stimulation of...

Nociceptin is a novel neuropeptide of the opioid peptide family recently identified as the endogenous ligand of the opioid receptor-like "orphan" receptor. Unlike other opioids, nociceptin has hyperalgesic effects in vivo. In the present study, nociceptin was found to inhibit electrical field stimulation-induced tachykinergic contractions of the guinea pig isolated bronchus preparation. The thr...