Biomaterial Database

The effect of norepinephrine on visual cortical neurons in kittens and adult cats. 1984

T O Videen, and N W Daw, and R K Rader

The responses of visual cortical neurons during iontophoresis of norepinephrine (NE) were compared in kittens and adult cats. One type of neuronal "plasticity" (the ability of visual cortical neurons to have their response properties markedly altered during exposure to a restricted visual environment) normally occurs only in young kittens and has been hypothesized to depend on the presence of NE. We investigated this hypothesis in terms of a model of synaptic plasticity which suggested that NE would selectively enhance the evoked responses of neurons and that this enhancement might exist to a greater extent in kittens than in adult cats. The responses of 72% (43 of 60) of all neurons sampled decreased during NE iontophoresis, while the responses of only a few neurons (3 of 60) increased. Reduced activity occurred in roughly equal percentages of simple and complex cells. We also looked for differences in NE modulation of the "signal-to-noise" ratio of neurons. Most neurons had little spontaneous activity, but, of those that did, the signal-to-noise ratio increased in some instances and decreased in others. No difference in any of the effects of NE was observed between kittens and adult cats. The role of NE in cortical plasticity is discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009473	Neuronal Plasticity	The capacity of the NERVOUS SYSTEM to change its reactivity as the result of successive activations.	Brain Plasticity,Plasticity, Neuronal,Axon Pruning,Axonal Pruning,Dendrite Arborization,Dendrite Pruning,Dendritic Arborization,Dendritic Pruning,Dendritic Remodeling,Neural Plasticity,Neurite Pruning,Neuronal Arborization,Neuronal Network Remodeling,Neuronal Pruning,Neuronal Remodeling,Neuroplasticity,Synaptic Plasticity,Synaptic Pruning,Arborization, Dendrite,Arborization, Dendritic,Arborization, Neuronal,Arborizations, Dendrite,Arborizations, Dendritic,Arborizations, Neuronal,Axon Prunings,Axonal Prunings,Brain Plasticities,Dendrite Arborizations,Dendrite Prunings,Dendritic Arborizations,Dendritic Prunings,Dendritic Remodelings,Network Remodeling, Neuronal,Network Remodelings, Neuronal,Neural Plasticities,Neurite Prunings,Neuronal Arborizations,Neuronal Network Remodelings,Neuronal Plasticities,Neuronal Prunings,Neuronal Remodelings,Neuroplasticities,Plasticities, Brain,Plasticities, Neural,Plasticities, Neuronal,Plasticities, Synaptic,Plasticity, Brain,Plasticity, Neural,Plasticity, Synaptic,Pruning, Axon,Pruning, Axonal,Pruning, Dendrite,Pruning, Dendritic,Pruning, Neurite,Pruning, Neuronal,Pruning, Synaptic,Prunings, Axon,Prunings, Axonal,Prunings, Dendrite,Prunings, Dendritic,Prunings, Neurite,Prunings, Neuronal,Prunings, Synaptic,Remodeling, Dendritic,Remodeling, Neuronal,Remodeling, Neuronal Network,Remodelings, Dendritic,Remodelings, Neuronal,Remodelings, Neuronal Network,Synaptic Plasticities,Synaptic Prunings
D009638	Norepinephrine	Precursor of epinephrine that is secreted by the ADRENAL MEDULLA and is a widespread central and autonomic neurotransmitter. Norepinephrine is the principal transmitter of most postganglionic sympathetic fibers, and of the diffuse projection system in the brain that arises from the LOCUS CERULEUS. It is also found in plants and is used pharmacologically as a sympathomimetic.	Levarterenol,Levonorepinephrine,Noradrenaline,Arterenol,Levonor,Levophed,Levophed Bitartrate,Noradrenaline Bitartrate,Noradrénaline tartrate renaudin,Norepinephrin d-Tartrate (1:1),Norepinephrine Bitartrate,Norepinephrine Hydrochloride,Norepinephrine Hydrochloride, (+)-Isomer,Norepinephrine Hydrochloride, (+,-)-Isomer,Norepinephrine d-Tartrate (1:1),Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:1),Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:1), (+,-)-Isomer,Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:1), Monohydrate,Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:1), Monohydrate, (+)-Isomer,Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:2),Norepinephrine l-Tartrate, (+)-Isomer,Norepinephrine, (+)-Isomer,Norepinephrine, (+,-)-Isomer
D002415	Cats	The domestic cat, Felis catus, of the carnivore family FELIDAE, comprising over 30 different breeds. The domestic cat is descended primarily from the wild cat of Africa and extreme southwestern Asia. Though probably present in towns in Palestine as long ago as 7000 years, actual domestication occurred in Egypt about 4000 years ago. (From Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th ed, p801)	Felis catus,Felis domesticus,Domestic Cats,Felis domestica,Felis sylvestris catus,Cat,Cat, Domestic,Cats, Domestic,Domestic Cat
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014793	Visual Cortex	Area of the OCCIPITAL LOBE concerned with the processing of visual information relayed via VISUAL PATHWAYS.	Area V2,Area V3,Area V4,Area V5,Associative Visual Cortex,Brodmann Area 18,Brodmann Area 19,Brodmann's Area 18,Brodmann's Area 19,Cortical Area V2,Cortical Area V3,Cortical Area V4,Cortical Area V5,Secondary Visual Cortex,Visual Cortex Secondary,Visual Cortex V2,Visual Cortex V3,Visual Cortex V3, V4, V5,Visual Cortex V4,Visual Cortex V5,Visual Cortex, Associative,Visual Motion Area,Extrastriate Cortex,Area 18, Brodmann,Area 18, Brodmann's,Area 19, Brodmann,Area 19, Brodmann's,Area V2, Cortical,Area V3, Cortical,Area V4, Cortical,Area V5, Cortical,Area, Visual Motion,Associative Visual Cortices,Brodmanns Area 18,Brodmanns Area 19,Cortex Secondary, Visual,Cortex V2, Visual,Cortex V3, Visual,Cortex, Associative Visual,Cortex, Extrastriate,Cortex, Secondary Visual,Cortex, Visual,Cortical Area V3s,Extrastriate Cortices,Secondary Visual Cortices,V3, Cortical Area,V3, Visual Cortex,V4, Area,V4, Cortical Area,V5, Area,V5, Cortical Area,V5, Visual Cortex,Visual Cortex Secondaries,Visual Cortex, Secondary,Visual Motion Areas