background: melatonin has receptors in substantia nigra pars compacta (snc) and regulates development of dopaminergic (da) neurons. this study was undertaken to determine ability of melatonin to protect snc dopaminergic neuron loss induced by estrogen deficiency in ovariectomized rats. methods: female rats were randomized into four groups of seven each: control, ethanol sham, ovariectomy (ovx) ...

objective(s): the main characteristic of mesenchymal stem cells (mscs) is their ability to produce other cell types. electromagnetic field (emf) stimulates differentiation of mscs into other cells. in this study, we investigated whether emf can effect on the differentiation of mscs into dopaminergic (da) neurons. materials and methods: an emf with a frequency of 50 hz and two intensities of 40 ...

Objective(s): The main characteristic of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is their ability to produce other cell types. Electromagnetic field (EMF) stimulates differentiation of MSCs into other cells. In this study, we investigated whether EMF can effect on the differentiation of MSCs into dopaminergic (DA) neurons. Materials and Methods: An EMF with a frequency of 50 Hz and two intensities of 40 ...

Mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and human foreskin fibroblasts (HFFs) are used for the culture of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). MEFs and HFFs differed in their capacity to support the proliferation and pluripotency of hESCs and could affect cardiac differentiation potential of hESCs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of MEFs and HFFs feeders on dopaminergic differentiati...

Noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) are significantly reduced in Parkinson's disease (PD) and the LC exhibits neuropathological changes early in the disease process. It has been suggested that a loss of LC neurons can enhance the susceptibility of dopaminergic neurons to damage. To determine if LC noradrenergic innervation protects dopaminergic neurons from damage, the dopaminergi...

Dopamine (DA) has been postulated to play a role in the loss of dopaminergic substantia nigra (SN) neurons in Parkinson's disease because of its propensity to oxidize and form quinones and other reactive oxygen species that can alter cellular function. Moreover, DA depletion can attenuate dopaminergic cell loss in vitro. To test the contribution of DA to SN impairment in vivo, we used DA-defici...

Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) at presynaptic sites can modulate dopaminergic synaptic transmission by regulating dopamine (DA) release and uptake. Dopaminergic transmission in nigrostriatal and mesolimbic pathways is vital for the coordination of movement and is associated with learning and behavioral reinforcement. We reported recently that the D2 DA receptor plays a cent...

Background: As previous studies show, several effects of morphine are induced by the dopaminergic system. Sulpiride is a dopamine D2 receptor (DAD2) antagonist widely used in clinics to treat DArelated disorders. DAD2 receptors are abundant at hippocampal cornu ammonis (CA1). Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the possible interaction of morphine and sulpiride on DA synapses in CA1...

Monoamines, including dopamine (DA), have been linked to aggression in various species. However, the precise role or roles served by the amine in aggression have been difficult to define because dopaminergic systems influence many behaviors, and all can be altered by changing the function of dopaminergic neurons. In the fruit fly, with the powerful genetic tools available, small subsets of brai...

An electrophysiological study was performed to investigate the effects of cis-N-[4-[4-(1,2-benz-isozole-3-yl)-1-piperazinyl]butyl]cyclohexan e-1,2-dicarboximide hydrochloride (perospirone), a novel antipsychotic agent with high affinities for D2/5-HT2-receptors, on the dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) using chloral hydrate-anesthetized rats. DA neurons and non-DA ne...