Biomaterial Database

Locomotor hyperactivity in neonatal rats following electrolytic lesions of mesocortical dopamine neurons. 1983

T G Heffner, and A Heller, and F E Miller, and C Kotake, and L S Seiden

These experiments examined the effects on locomotor activity of brain lesions that destroyed either mesocortical or nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) neuronal projections in neonatal rats. Electrolytic lesions of the medial ventral tegmental area in 4-day-old rats reduced the content of DA within the frontal cortex and septum by 42-57% and resulted in a 2-fold increase in locomotor activity during days 22-24 of life. In contrast, bilateral electrolytic lesions of the substantia nigra in 4-day-old rats reduced the content of DA within the caudate putamen by 68%, but failed to alter locomotor activity during days 22-24 of life. These results suggest that loss of mesocortical DA neurons may underlie the locomotor hyperactivity seen following brain DA-depleting 6-hydroxydopamine injections in neonatal rats and that these mesocortical DA neurons may normally influence the ontogeny of locomotion in the rat.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008124	Locomotion	Movement or the ability to move from one place or another. It can refer to humans, vertebrate or invertebrate animals, and microorganisms.	Locomotor Activity,Activities, Locomotor,Activity, Locomotor,Locomotor Activities
D008297	Male		Males
D009434	Neural Pathways	Neural tracts connecting one part of the nervous system with another.	Neural Interconnections,Interconnection, Neural,Interconnections, Neural,Neural Interconnection,Neural Pathway,Pathway, Neural,Pathways, Neural
D001923	Brain Chemistry	Changes in the amounts of various chemicals (neurotransmitters, receptors, enzymes, and other metabolites) specific to the area of the central nervous system contained within the head. These are monitored over time, during sensory stimulation, or under different disease states.	Chemistry, Brain,Brain Chemistries,Chemistries, Brain
D002395	Catecholamines	A general class of ortho-dihydroxyphenylalkylamines derived from TYROSINE.	Catecholamine,Sympathin,Sympathins
D002540	Cerebral Cortex	The thin layer of GRAY MATTER on the surface of the CEREBRAL HEMISPHERES that develops from the TELENCEPHALON and folds into gyri and sulci. It reaches its highest development in humans and is responsible for intellectual faculties and higher mental functions.	Allocortex,Archipallium,Cortex Cerebri,Cortical Plate,Paleocortex,Periallocortex,Allocortices,Archipalliums,Cerebral Cortices,Cortex Cerebrus,Cortex, Cerebral,Cortical Plates,Paleocortices,Periallocortices,Plate, Cortical
D003342	Corpus Striatum	Striped GRAY MATTER and WHITE MATTER consisting of the NEOSTRIATUM and paleostriatum (GLOBUS PALLIDUS). It is located in front of and lateral to the THALAMUS in each cerebral hemisphere. The gray substance is made up of the CAUDATE NUCLEUS and the lentiform nucleus (the latter consisting of the GLOBUS PALLIDUS and PUTAMEN). The WHITE MATTER is the INTERNAL CAPSULE.	Lenticular Nucleus,Lentiform Nucleus,Lentiform Nuclei,Nucleus Lentiformis,Lentiformis, Nucleus,Nuclei, Lentiform,Nucleus, Lenticular,Nucleus, Lentiform,Striatum, Corpus
D004298	Dopamine	One of the catecholamine NEUROTRANSMITTERS in the brain. It is derived from TYROSINE and is the precursor to NOREPINEPHRINE and EPINEPHRINE. Dopamine is a major transmitter in the extrapyramidal system of the brain, and important in regulating movement. A family of receptors (RECEPTORS, DOPAMINE) mediate its action.	Hydroxytyramine,3,4-Dihydroxyphenethylamine,4-(2-Aminoethyl)-1,2-benzenediol,Dopamine Hydrochloride,Intropin,3,4 Dihydroxyphenethylamine,Hydrochloride, Dopamine
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D006892	Hydroxydopamines	Dopamines with a hydroxy group substituted in one or more positions.	Hydroxydopamine