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Involvement of Neurotransmitters in Mnemonic Processes, Response to Noxious Stimuli and Conditioned Fear: A Push–Pull Superfusion Study

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In Vivo Neuropharmacology and Neurophysiology

Part of the book series: Neuromethods ((NM,volume 121))

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Abstract

The push–pull superfusion technique is a useful tool to investigate neurotransmitter release during different behavioral tasks such as tests on acquisition of information, mnemonic processes, response to noxious stimuli and to conditioned fear. We know that during these processes different neurotransmitters in specific brain regions are released, responding to the stimulus. The scope of this chapter is to describe changes in neuronal activity elicited by mnemonic and various behavioral tasks. For this purpose, we investigated the release of endogenous acetylcholine and glutamate in the nucleus accumbens during acquisition of information and short-term memory. Furthermore, release of serotonin in the locus coeruleus and acetylcholine in the nucleus accumbens were studied during stress procedures such as noise, immobilization, and non-traumatic tail-pinch. Lastly, release of serotonin and amino acids were determined in the locus coeruleus during conditioned fear and inescapable shock. It is concluded, that within the nucleus accumbens, histaminergic neurons facilitate per se short-term memory without evoking cholinergic and glutamatergic transmission. Aversive stimuli evoke release of several neurotransmitters in different brain regions. In the locus coeruleus inescapable shock enhances release of serotonin. During conditioned fear a decrease in the release of serotonin is accompanied by tachycardia.

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Acknowledgements

Development of PPC and PPST as well as findings presented in this review was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Fonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (FWF), Russia Foundation for Fundamental Research, and INTAS grant (No 96-1502) of European Union.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Second Laboratory of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Michaela M. Kraus

  2. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

    Athineos Philippu

Authors
  1. Michaela M. Kraus
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  2. Athineos Philippu
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Correspondence to Michaela M. Kraus .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

    Athineos Philippu

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Kraus, M.M., Philippu, A. (2017). Involvement of Neurotransmitters in Mnemonic Processes, Response to Noxious Stimuli and Conditioned Fear: A Push–Pull Superfusion Study. In: Philippu, A. (eds) In Vivo Neuropharmacology and Neurophysiology. Neuromethods, vol 121. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6490-1_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6490-1_11

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-6488-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-6490-1

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