Introduction: Stimulation or inactivation of the lateral hypothalamus (LH) produces antinociception. Studies showed a role for the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in the antinociception induced by LH chemical stimulation through the orexinergic receptors. In this study, we assessed the role of intra-VTA dopamine D1 and D2 receptors in antinociceptive effects of cholinergic agonist, carbachol, m...

Excessive activation of ionotropic glutamate receptors in the striatum contributes to the pathophysiology of motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease. Metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors regulate striatal excitatory synaptic transmission, and adaptive changes in their function might occur following dopaminergic denervation and chronic levodopa-treatment (L-DOPA). Corticostriatal glutamatergic ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Partial agonists selective for α4β2 nicotinic ACh receptors have been developed for smoking cessation as they induce weak activation of native α4β2* receptors and inhibit effect of nicotine. However, it is unclear whether at brain functions there is an existence of receptor reserve that allows weak receptor activation to induce maximum physiological effects. We assessed t...

Schizophrenia is a chronic psychotic disorder characterized by the presence of symptoms (hallucinations, delusions), negative (decreased expressiveness), and cognitive (lack executive function). The exact etiology schizophrenia unknown, although it thought to be linked increased dopaminergic activity in mesolimbic neuronal pathway decreased prefrontal cortical pathway. Treatment includes both p...

The dopaminergic drug bromocriptine inhibited the release of insulin from isolated mouse pancreatic islets. The effect was counteracted by haloperidol or pimozide. It is suggested that insulin release may be inhibited through activation of D-2 dopaminergic receptors in the pancreatic beta-cells.

Differences in the composition and subcellular localization of heteroreceptors brain can trigger central nervous system diseases, including epilepsy autism. Protein-protein interactions between Dopamine Receptors (DRs) GLUN2A GLUN2B subunits are critical mechanisms that regulate dopamine glutamate coordinated signals. These may be involved pathophysiological predisposition epilepsy. We hypothes...

ÐThe present review provides an overview of the distribution of dopaminergic ®bers and dopaminoceptive elements within the avian telencephalon, the possible interactions of dopamine (DA) with other biochemically identi®ed systems as revealed by immunocytochemistry, and the involvement of DA in behavioral processes in birds. Primary sensory structures are largely devoid of dopaminergic ®bers, DA...

It has previously been shown that the reinforcing and dependence-producing properties of nicotine depend to a great extent on activation of nicotinic receptors within the ventral tegmental area (VTA), i.e. the site of origin of the mesolimbocortical dopaminergic projection. Based on the data reviewed in the present study, it is suggested that nicotine by stimulating presynaptic a7 nicotinic rec...