Calcitonin—C.N.S. action to control the pattern of intestinal motility in rats

Synthetic calcitonin injected into the lateral ventricles (ICV) of rats at picomolar concentration restores the “fasted” motility pattern of the small intestine in fed rats at doses as low as 0.083 picomoles. This effect which appeared in less than 5 min and persisted at least 2 hours for 0.83 picomole, was blocked by a previous intraventricular administration of 10 μg of calcium gluconate. At 0.83 picomole ICV, calcitonin also suppressed the disruption of the “fasted” pattern induced by intravenous infusion of Pentagastrin (6 μg·kg^?1·h^?1) but not that induced by insulin (0.5 U·kg^?1). These findings support the hypothesis that calcitonin acts centrally to control the pattern of intestinal motility by inhibiting the digestive influences responsible for the “fed” pattern. All of these peripheral influences are mediated by a Ca⁺⁺ sensitive central structure.     

Calcitonin gene-related peptide: Brain and spinal action on intestinal motility

The effects of intracerebroventricular (ICV) and intrathecal (IT) administration of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on intestinal motility were examined in conscious rats chronically fitted with intraparietal electrodes in the duodeno-jejunum and a cannula in a cerebral lateral ventricle or catheter in the subarachnoid space. ICV administration of CGRP (0.5–10 μg) restores the fasted pattern of intestinal motility in fed rats in a dose-related manner. Intrathecal administration of CGRP or calcitonin also induces fasted pattern but after a 30 min delay. These effects persisted after transection of the spinal cord and no change in intestinal motility appeared after intravenous administration of CGRP at a dose effective when given IT. This study suggests that CGRP, as calcitonin, has a neuromodulatory role in the control of intestinal motility at both brain and spinal cord levels.     

Effects of neurotensin on motor patterns of canine duodenum and proximal jejunum

The aim of this study was to clarify if small doses of neurotensin (2.5 and 5.0 pmol.kg-1.min-1, i.v.) in dogs alter the postprandial motor pattern of the duodenum in comparison with the adjacent jejunum. The intestinal motor patterns were quantified by means of closely spaced strain gauge transducers and a computerized method. An acaloric viscous meal of cellulose was used to induce postprandial motility. Gastric emptying was measured radiographically. During intravenous control infusion of saline, the characteristics of duodenal and jejunal motor pattern were significantly different. The duodenum contracted at a lower rate and showed a higher incidence of stationary contractions. The lower dose (2.5 pmol.kg-1.min-1) of neurotensin showed no significant effects, whereas the higher dose (5 pmol.kg-1.min-1) significantly slowed gastric emptying and altered the motor pattern of both intestinal segments in a similar manner. It reduced the number of contractions, shortened the contraction spread, increased the incidence of stationary contractions, and decreased the incidence of propagated contractions. The alterations of motility caused enhanced mixing of luminal contents. The differences in motor patterns seen in the control state between both intestinal segments were diminished during neurotensin. Data revealed no differences in sensitivity of the duodenum and jejunum to neurotensin. Results suggest that neurotensin is one of the gastrointestinal peptides involved in regulating intestinal contractile patterns.     

Peripheral and Central Administration of Xenin and Neurotensin Suppress Food Intake in Rodents

Xenin is a 25‐amino acid peptide highly homologous to neurotensin. Xenin and neurotensin are reported to have similar biological effects. Both reduce food intake when administered centrally to fasted rats. We aimed to clarify and compare the effects of these peptides on food intake and behavior. We confirm that intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of xenin or neurotensin reduces food intake in fasted rats, and demonstrate that both reduce food intake in satiated rats during the dark phase. Xenin reduced food intake more potently than neurotensin following ICV administration. ICV injection of either peptide in the dark phase increased resting behavior. Xenin and neurotensin stimulated the release of corticotrophin‐releasing hormone (CRH) from ex vivo hypothalamic explants, and administration of α‐helical CRH attenuated their effects on food intake. Intraperitoneal (IP) administration of xenin or neurotensin acutely reduced food intake in fasted mice and ad libitum fed mice in the dark phase. However, chronic continuous or twice daily peripheral administration of xenin or neurotensin to mice had no significant effect on daily food intake or body weight. These studies confirm that ICV xenin or neurotensin can acutely reduce food intake and demonstrate that peripheral administration of xenin and neurotensin also reduces food intake. This may be partly mediated by changes in hypothalamic CRH release. The lack of chronic effects on body weight observed in our experiments suggests that xenin and neurotensin are unlikely to be useful as obesity therapies.     

Relationship of postprandial motilin, gastrin, and pancreatic polypeptide release to intestinal motility during vagal interruption.

Experiments were performed to determine how postprandial motilin, gastrin, and pancreatic polypeptide plasma concentrations measured during vagal blockade relate to coincident small intestinal motility patterns. Feeding produced a postprandial pattern of intestinal motility coincident with a sustained increase in gastrin and pancreatic polypeptide and a decline in motilin plasma concentrations. Vagal blockade replaced the fed pattern with one similar to migrating motor complex (MMC) activity. Highest motilin plasma concentrations were observed during phase III of this MMC-like activity, as occurs in the fasted state. Vagal blockade reduced but did not abolish the postprandial increase in plasma gastrin and pancreatic polypeptide concentrations. Termination of vagal cooling produced a decline in motilin and an elevation in gastrin and pancreatic polypeptide concentrations, coincident with the return of the fed pattern. In conclusion, during vagal blockade in the fed state (i) motilin, but not gastrin or pancreatic polypeptide plasma concentrations, fluctuate with the MMC-like activity, and any measurement of motilin concentration under these circumstances must be interpreted on the basis of gut motility patterns, and (ii) gastrin and pancreatic polypeptide concentrations are marginally elevated, but these changes are not enough to disrupt the MMC or have any motor effect. Lastly, the fed pattern and the postprandial changes in motilin, gastrin, and pancreatic polypeptide concentrations are in part dependent upon intact vagal pathways.     

Somatostatin inhibits bombesin-induced effects on migrating myoelectric complexes in the small intestine of the rat

The effect of i.v. infusions of bombesin and somatostatin, administered either separately or in combination, on migrating myoelectric complexes (MMCs) in the small intestine were studied in conscious, fasted rats. The myoelectrical activity was recorded by means of three bipolar electrodes chronically implanted into the duodenum and jejunum. Infusion of bombesin (0.5, 0.9 and 3 pmol . kg-1 . min-1) interrupted the MMC and induced irregular spiking activity similar to that observed on feeding. Only after the highest dose a consistent inhibition of the MMCs and a significant increase (P less than 0.05) of the spiking activity were achieved at all recording levels. Somatostatin (90 pmol . kg-1 . min-1) did not interrupt the MMC, but reduced significantly the incidence of the activity fronts and spiking activity of the MMCs (P less than 0.05). The effects of bombesin (3 pmol . kg-1 . min-1) on the MMC pattern were inhibited by simultaneous infusion of somatostatin (P less than 0.05). In a second series of experiments, using anesthetized rats, infusion of bombesin (0.5 and 3 pmol . kg-1 . min-1) increased the plasma concentration of neurotensin- gastrin-like immunoreactivities in a dose-dependent manner. The results show that bombesin alters the myoelectrical activity of the small intestine from a fasting to a fed pattern. Since the effect of bombesin was inhibited by the hormone release inhibitor somatostatin, it is suggested that the effect of bombesin on MMC may be secondary to the release of gastrointestinal peptides, such as neurotensin or gastrin.     

Neuromedin-N inhibits migrating myoelectric complex and induces irregular spiking in the small intestine of rats; comparison with neurotensin.

The effects of neuromedin-N on migrating myoelectric complexes in the small intestine of rats were studied. As neuromedin-N and neurotensin are structurally related peptides a comparison with neurotensin was made. Myoelectric activity was recorded by means of three bipolar electrodes implanted into the wall of the small intestine at 5, 15 and 25 cm distal to the pylorus. The peptides were administered as intravenous infusions to fasted conscious rats. Neuromedin-N at doses of 100-800 pmol kg-1 min-1 caused a dose-dependent disruption of the migrating myoelectric complexes and induced irregular spiking activity (n = 7, P less than 0.05). Neurotensin induced a similar response, but at doses of 1.0-8.0 pmol kg-1 min-1 (n = 5, P less than 0.05). Thus, on a molar basis, neuromedin-N appeared to be about 100-times less potent than neurotensin. Hexamethonium (20 mg kg-1 i.v.) inhibited the migrating motor complexes and induced quiescence, but did not block the effect of neuromedin-N at a dose of 800 pmol kg-1 min-1. Atropine (1 mg kg-1 i.v.) and mepyramine (2 mg kg-1 i.v.) did not affect the migrating motor complexes, nor did they block the effect of neuromedin-N. Simultaneous infusion of neuromedin-N and neurotensin in a 1:1 molar ratio at doses of 2 pmol kg-1 min-1 showed inhibition of the response to neurotensin in eight out of ten experiments. In conclusion, neuromedin-N changes the myoelectric activity in the small intestine from a fasting to a fed pattern.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Involvement of dopamine in the central effect of neurotensin on intestinal motility in rats

The effects of intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of neurotensin (NT) before a meal on intestinal postprandial motility were examined in conscious rats chronically fitted with intraparietal Nichrome electrodes in the duodeno-jejunum. The effects were compared with those of two analogues, [D-Tyr¹¹]NT and [D-Trp¹¹]NT, resistant to degradation by brain peptidases. NT (10 μg ICV) delayed the occurrence of postprandial disruption of duodenal motility and blocked it on the jejunum. [D-Tyr¹¹]NT and [D-Trp¹¹]NT (1 μg ICV) elicited the same effects but at a ten-fold lower dose. NT administered peripherally just before a meal significantly lengthened the duration of the postprandial motor pattern. The central effect of NT on the fed pattern involved dopaminergic neurons as it was mimicked by dopamine, blocked by haloperidol and partly antagonized by either sulpiride or (+) SCH 23390. It is concluded that: 1) both D₁ and D₂ receptors are involved in the blocking effect of the postprandial disruption induced by central NT; 2) that [D-Tyr¹¹]NT and [D-Trp¹¹]NT are potent agonists at NT receptors in the brain.     

Calcitonin and secretin inhibit bombesin-stimulated serum gastrin and gastric acid secretion in man

The effect of intravenously administered calcitonin and secretin on bombesin-stimulated serum gastrin and gastric acid secretion was studied in 7 volunteers. Secretin G.I.H. (1 C.U./kg per h) and calcitonin (0.5 I.U./kg per h) significantly ($\text{P < 0.05}$) inhibited the serum gastrin and gastric acid responses to bombesin-14 (90 pmol/kg per h). Inhibition of gastrin release could not fully account for the inhibition of gastric acid secretion.     

Central effects of growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) on intestinal motility in dogs: involvement of dopaminergic receptors

The effects of intracerebroventricular (ICV) and intravenous (IV) administration of human pancreatic growth hormone-releasing factor (hpGRF) on gastro-intestinal motility were examined in fasted and fed conscious dogs equipped with chronically implanted strain-gauges on the antrum and the jejunum. During the fasted state, hpGRF injected ICV at 0.1 micrograms . kg-1 or IV at 0.5 micrograms . kg-1 did not affect the cyclic occurrence of the migrating motor complex (MMC). This pattern was normally disrupted for 8-10 hours by a daily standard meal. Injected ventricularly (0.1 micrograms . kg-1) but not intravenously (0.5 micrograms . kg-1) 10-15 min after the daily meal, hpGRF significantly reduced (p less than 0.01) the duration of the jejunal fed pattern (2.0 +/- 1.4 vs. 8.4 +/- 1.1 hours for control) but not that of the stomach. This effect persisted when hpGRF (0.1 micrograms . kg-1 ICV) was administered after indomethacin (2 mg . kg-1 IM), naltrexone (0.1 mg . kg-1 IV) or domperidone (1 mg . kg-1 IV) but was abolished by a previous IV injection of metoclopramide (1 mg . kg-1). It was concluded that hpGRF is able to act centrally to control the pattern of jejunal motility in fed but not in fasted dog, its effect being probably mediated through dopaminergic pathways.     

GLP-1 and GLP-2 act in concert to inhibit fasted,but not fed,small bowel motility in the rat

Small bowel motility was studied in rats at increasing (1-20 pmol/kg/min) intravenous doses of either glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) or glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) alone, or in combination in the fasted and fed state. There was a dose-dependent inhibitory action of GLP-1 on the migrating myoelectric complex (MMC), where the dose of 5 pmol/kg/min induced an increased MMC cycle length. No effect was seen with GLP-2 alone, but the combination of GLP-1 and GLP-2 induced a more pronounced inhibitory effect, with significant increase of the MMC cycle length from a dose of 2 pmol/kg/min. During fed motility, infusion of GLP-1 resulted in an inhibition of spiking activity compared to control. In contrast, infusion of GLP-2 only numerically increased spiking activity compared to control, while the combination of GLP-1 and GLP-2 resulted in no change compared to control. In summary, this study demonstrates an additive effect of peripheral administration of GLP-1 and GLP-2 on fasted small bowel motility. In the fed state, GLP-1 and GLP-2 seem to display counter-balancing effects on motility of the small intestine.     

L-histidine induced changes in adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate levels in rat brain and amounts of apo-, holo-a and holo-b fatty acid synthetases in rat liver.

When fasted rats were fed a chow or fat-free diet supplemented 5% with L-histidine for three days, the brain adenosine 3′:5′-monophosphate (cAMP) level increased. A 50% increase occurred in rats fed a chow diet and 20% increase in rats fed a fat-free diet. Purification of liver fatty acid synthetase and the isolation of liver apo-, holo-$\text{a}$ and holo-$\text{b}$ fatty acid synthetases demonstrated that L-histidine feeding caused changes in the relative amounts of these enzymes. Apo- and holo-$\text{b}$ fatty acid synthetases increased while the holo-$\text{a}$ form simultaneously decreased. This effect was observed in rats fed either chow or fat-free diets supplemented with L-histidine.     

Pancreatic polypeptide is not involved in the regulation of the migrating motor complex in man

The role of pancreatic polypeptide (PP) and motilin in the regulation of the migrating motor complex (MMC) was studied in normal subjects. Both plasma motilin and PP levels changed cyclically in the fasted state and were highest in the late phase II period preceding the activity front in the duodenum. A continental breakfast invariably disrupted the MMC and induced a fed pattern of motility. After the meal plasma motilin levels decreased whereas PP levels rose significantly. Infusion of pure porcine motilin during the fasted state induced an activity front and a rise in plasma PP levels. Infusion of bovine PP in doses producing plasma PP levels above the postprandial values neither induced an activity front nor prevented its occurrence. During PP infusion, however, plasma motilin levels were low, although the activity front was not inhibited. PP seems to have no clear role in the regulation of the motor component of the MMC of man. The role of motilin in the production of the activity front of the MMC is discussed.     

Evidence for central neuropeptidergic control of rumination in sheep

Effects of intracerebroventricular (ICV) vs. intravenous (IV) administration of tetragastrin, pentagastrin, CCK₈ and gastrin 17 on rumination were investigated in conscious sheep. Administered at 26 pmoles/kg ICV both tetra and pentagastrin induced a premature short (15–27 min) period of rumination only $\text{24±7}$ and $\text{23±9}$ min after food distribution in place of $\text{112±44}$ min in controls. Similar but less pronounced effects were observed for ICV administration of an equimolar dose of gastrin 17 whereas CCK₈ did not promote an early peciod of rumination despite its anorectic effects. Administered intravenously tetra and pentagastrin but not gastrin 17 caused early rumination only for 10 times higher doses. It is concluded that gastrin 17 and its C-terminal tetrapeptide may play a physiological role in the central control of rumination in sheep.     

Central muscarinic control of the pattern of small intestinal motility in rats

The effects of central and peripheral administration of muscarinic agonists and antagonists on small intestinal motility were examined in conscious rats chronically fitted with electrodes implanted in the duodeno-jejunal wall and a cannula in a cerebral lateral ventricle. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of either atropine or pirenzepine at doses from 1 to 10 micrograms, 15 min before a 3 and 6 g lab chow meal significantly reduced the duration of the postprandial disruption of the migrating myoelectric complexes (MMC). The reduction was significantly greater for atropine, a mixed M1 and M2 muscarinic receptor antagonist, than for pirenzepine, an antagonist with a high affinity for M1 receptors. At a higher dose (10 micrograms) intra peritoneal (i.p.) administration of atropine or pirenzepine did not modify the postprandial disruption of MMC. Oxotremorine (10 ng) a M2 agonist, but not McNeil A343 (5 micrograms), a selective M1 agonist, given i.c.v. in fasted rats disrupted for 1.5 h the MMC pattern. At the same doses given i.p. oxotremorine and McNeil A343 disrupted the MMC for 15 and 45 min respectively. We conclude that the postprandial changes in the small intestinal motility involve muscarinic receptors, mainly of M2 subtype, at the level of the central nervous system.     

Ethanol metabolism in guinea pig: Ethanol oxidation and its effect on NADNADH ratios,oxygen consumption,and ketogenesis in isolated hepatocytes of fed and fasted animals

Ethanol metabolism was studied in isolated hepatocytes of fed and fasted guinea pigs. Alcohol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.1) activities of fed or fasted liver cells were 2.04 and 1.88 μmol/g cells/min, respectively. Under a variety of in vitro conditions, alcohol dehydrogenase operates in fed hepatocytes at 34–74% and in fasted liver cells at 23–61% of its maximum velocity, respectively. Hepatocytes of fed animals, incubated in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer, oxidized ethanol at an average rate of 0.69 μmol/g wet weight cells/min, whereas cells of 48-h fasted animals consumed only 0.44 μmol/g/min under identical conditions. Various substrates and metabolites of intermediary metabolism significantly enhanced ethanol oxidation in fed liver cells. Maximum stimulatory effects were achieved with alanine (+138%) and pyruvate (+102%), followed in decreasing order by propionate, lactate, fructose, dihydroxyacetone, and galactose. In contrast to substrate couples such as lactate/pyruvate and glycerol/dihydroxyacetone, sorbitol with or without fructose significantly inhibited ethanol oxidation. The addition of hydrogen shuttle components such as malate, aspartate, or glutamate to fasted hepatocytes resulted in significantly higher stimulation of ethanol uptake than in fed hepatocytes. Also, the degree of inhibition of shuttle activity by n-butylmalonate was more pronounced in fasted liver cells (77% inhibition) than in fed cells (59% inhibition). These data as well as oxygen kinetic studies in intact guinea pig hepatocytes utilizing uncouplers (carbonyl cyanide-p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone, dinitrophenol), electron-transport inhibitors (rotenone, antimycin), and malate-aspartate shuttle inhibitors (aminooxyacetate, n-butylmalonate) strongly suggested that the malate-aspartate shuttle is the predominant hydrogen transport system during ethanol oxidation in guinea pig liver.Comparison of the alcohol dehydrogenase-inhibitors 4-methylpyrazole and pyrazole on ethanol oxidation demonstrated that the alcohol dehydrogenase system is quantitatively the most important alcohol-metabolizing pathway in guinea pig liver. Supporting this conclusion, it was found that the H₂O₂-forming substrate glycolate slightly increased ethanol oxidation in liver cells of control animals (+26%), but prior inhibition of catalase by 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole resulted in a significant increase (+25%) instead of a decrease in alcohol oxidation. This finding does not support a quantitatively important role of peroxidatic oxidation of ethanol by catalase in liver.Cytosolic $\text{NAD}\text{NADH}$ ratios were greatly shifted toward reduction during ethanol oxidation. These reductive shifts were even more pronounced when cells were incubated in the presence of fatty acids (octanoate, oleate) plus ethanol. Inhibitor studies with 4-methylpyrazole demonstrated that the decrease of the cytosolic $\text{NAD}\text{NADH}$ ratio during fatty acid oxidation was due to an inhibition of hydrogen transport from cytosol to mitochondria and not the result of transfer of hydrogen, generated by fatty acid oxidation, from mitochondria to cytosol. Lactate plus pyruvate formation was slightly inhibited by ethanol in fed hepatocytes but greatly accelerated in fasted cells; this latter effect was mostly the result of increased lactate formation. Such regulation may represent a hepatic mechanism of alcoholic lactic acidosis as observed in human alcoholics. The ethanol-induced decrease of the mitochondrial $\text{NAD}\text{NADH}$ ratio was prevented by addition of 4-methylpyrazole. Endogenous ketogenesis was greatly increased (+80%) by ethanol in fed liver cells. This effect of ethanol was blunted in the presence of glucose. Propionate, by competing with fatty acid oxidation, was strongly antiketogenic. This effect was alleviated by ethanol. In 48-h fasted hepatocytes, endogenous ketogenesis was enhanced by 84%. Although ethanol did not further stimulate endogenous ketogenesis under these conditions, alcohol significantly increased ketogenesis in the presence of octanoate or oleate. This stimulatory effect of ethanol was almost completely prevented by 4-methylpyrazole. These findings demonstrate that the syndrome of alcoholic ketoacidosis may be due, at least partially, to the additional stimulation of ketogenesis by or from ethanol during fatty acid oxidation in the fasting state.     

Effect of stimulation of the vagus nerves and vagotomy on myoelectric activity of small bowel

Experiments have been done on conscious dogs (6 animals) to study vagal influences on small bowel motility. First group (3 dogs) was prepared with gastric and esophageal fistulas, the second group (3 dogs) with gastric fistulas. Both groups had monopolar silver electrodes placed along small bowel. Stimulation of vagus with sham feeding (SF) increased MMC period of about 21%. Insulin and 2DG infused intravenously increased MMC period at lower dose range and in high doses induced fed-like pattern of motility. Supradiaphragmatic vagotomy done in the second group animals does not change significantly fasted as well as fed motility pattern. These data suggest that central and peripheral vagal input is required for inhibition MMC activity and development fed motility pattern.     

Variations of plasma immunoreactive motilin, pancreatic polypeptide, gastrin and somatostatin along the duodenal motility cycle in the pig

The peripheral plasma concentrations of immunoreactive motilin, pancreatic polypeptide (PP), somatostatin and gastrin were measured in 7 pigs fasted to 24 h and subsequently fed a standard meal. Plasma motilin peaked during the last part of phase II activity of the migrating myoelectric complex (MMC) sequence (25.2 +/- 2.3 pM), the lowest value being recorded during phase I (10.6 +/- 1.5 pM) after a 24 h fast. Plasma motilin remained at a low level during the digestive pattern of duodenal activity, no fluctuation occurring when the first postprandial MMC recurred. At variance analysis, gastrin and PP were not released phasically with MMC in the fasting state, while at autocovariance both peptides tended to fluctuate during the MMC sequence with positive and negative peaks at regular intervals along MMC cycles. No variation of plasma somatostatin was observed in the fasting animals. These findings argue against a major role of circulating PP, gastrin and somatostatin-like components in the control of fasted and post absorptive duodenal motility in pigs while the role of motilin remains equivocal.     

Contribution of neurotensin in the immune and neuroendocrine modulation of normal and abnormal enteric function

Among various hormones, which are synthesized by intestinal cells and influence enteric function, neurotensin (NT) has gained scientific attention the last three decades. This neuropeptide, mainly located in neuronal synaptic vesicles of hypothalamus and in neuroendocrine cells of the small bowel, participates in enteric digestive processes, gut motility and intestinal inflammatory mechanisms by cooperating with other regulators such as histamine, substance P and somatostatin. NT plays an important role mainly in intestinal lipid metabolism by cooperating with cholecystokinin and establishes a hormonal brain-gut-adipose tissue connection, which could adjust appetite, weight status and generally eating behavior with the amount and the content (particularly fat) of food intake. Moreover, NT achieves a multi-level control of intestinal motility by cooperating with the enteric- and central nervous system, and other enteric hormones (such as somatostatin). NT regulates motility patterns related to the efficiency of the digestive process, stool emptying, transition from the fasted to the postprandial state and reestablishment of the fasted status. In addition, NT possesses a long-term enteroprotective role towards the intestinal tract, despite the fact that under certain circumstances NT may participate in short-term subcellular pathways promoting an acute inflammatory response. The aim of this review is two-fold. First, is to provide an up-to-date synopsis of the available knowledge regarding the involvement of neurotensin in enteric functional status, and highlight its significance in physiological and pathological conditions. Second, is to propose new research directions concerning the role of neurotensin and other intestinal regulatory peptides in the establishment of the brain-gut axis and in the development of functional disorders of the abdominal tract. Conclusively, to clarify the areas, in which an experimental therapeutic intervention, based on NT analogs, may lead to encouraging results.     

Intracerebroventricular somatostatin attenuates electroconvulsive shock-induced amnesia in rats

In the present study the effect of intracerebroventricularly (ICV) administered somatostatin on electroconvulsive shock- (ECS) induced retrograde amnesia was investigated in rats. The ECS significantly decreased foot shock-induced avoidance latency. Somatostatin in a dose of $\text{1}\text{μg}\text{4}\text{μl}$ (ICV) had no action on the ECS-induced retrograde amnesia, while in a dose of $\text{4}\text{μg}\text{4}\text{μl}$ it significantly increased the avoidance latency if the treatment was performed immediately, 4 hr, 20 hr or 23 hr after the ECS. The results suggest that ICV administered somatostatin has an antiamnesic effect.