Changes in the level of oxygen tension in different brain structures of rats in positive and negative emotional states

Changes of oxygen tension (pO2) level in various brain structures were studied in rats in positive and negative emotional states. It is established that pO2 level changes depend on the character of behavioural reactions: "active" type of behaviour (emotionally positive orienting-investigatory, actively defensive) is accompanied by pO2 level increase, and "passive" type of behaviour ("freezing" reaction)--by a decrease of pO2 level. Changes of oxidative brain metabolism observed at "active" and "passive" types of behaviour indicate, respectively, adaptive and nonadaptive character of these behavioural reactions.     

Effect of emotional stressing on organization of the waking-sleep cycle in rats of different ages

In chronic experiments on 27 late, postnatal, pubertate, and adult rats, organization of the waking-sleep cycle was studied after long-lasting emotional stressing. The pattern of disturbances in the limbico-neocortical mechanisms, responsible for organization of the above cycle, is shown to be age-dependent. In late postnatal and pubertate rats, stressing decreased the duration of the waking phase and prolonged the stage of slow-wave deep sleep. In adult rats, the waking phase became longer, while the stage of deep slow-wave sleep was stabilized Changes in the paradoxical sleep phase were insignificant.     

Distribution of oxygen tension in the brain of spontaneously hypertensive rats

The distribution of cerebral tissue pO2 in spontaneously hypertensive Okamoto-Aoki rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WK) was studied by means of polarographic microelectrodes 1-3 microns in diameter. SHR exhibited pO2 shifts towards low values and an increased heterogeneity of pO2 distribution in the cerebral tissue. Morphological studies of the brain have revealed diffuse and focal ischemia in the grey and white matter of the brain in SHR.     

The dynamics of the electrical activity of the forebrain structures in rats in the waking-sleep cycle after electrostimulations of the emotiogenic zones in the lateral hypothalamic area]

One series of ES (multiple priming) of emotion-positive zone (1) ore the ambivalent zone (2) of lateral hypothalamus (LH) during one hour in Wistar male rats resulted in disorders of the W-S cycle: reduction of deep slow-wave sleep down to about 4.7% (zone 1) and down to 0.9% (zone 2), as well as a considerable reduction of REM sleep down to 0.8% (zone 1). The results of the analysis of bioelectrical brain activity dynamics in the W-S cycle suggest that hyperactivation of emotiogenic zones generated by ES is responsible for the establishment of paroxysmal states corresponding to the second and the third stages of kindling and the disorders of the W-S cycle. Kindling is assumed to form due to emotiogenic zones of the brain involved in to this process. The longer bursts of hypersynchronous bioelectrical activity in the cortex than in the subcortical structures during transient stages of sleep may be in favour of more active participation of phylogenetically younger brain structures in the process of epileptogenesis.     

Changes in oxygen tension in the cerebral cortex during hemodilution

Wistar rats were subjected to gradual blood replacement with 7% albumin (hemodilution). Hematocrit and mean arterial pressure were measured periodically. Polarographic platinum microelectrodes with a tip 3-8 microns in diameter were used to study variation of oxygen tension (pO2) in the brain cortex during hemodilution. Some areas showed a significant decrease in the brain pO2 after hematocrit dropped to 30%. In animals with an initially low pO2 (13.1 +/- 1.7 mm Hg), this parameter decreased more slowly than in rats with a higher basic pO2 (24.5 +/- 1.7 mm Hg).     

Changes in the catecholamine content of brain structures in rats subjected to immobilization stress

The changes in DOPA and catecholamine (adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine) levels were investigated in noradrenaline- and dopamine-synthesizing brain nuclei of Wistar rats after prolonged immobilization stress on catecholamine analyzer (BAS, USA) using HPLC technique. Distinct DOPA and catecholamine changes were observed in locus ceruleus + nucleus subceruleus (1. c + n. sc) and substantia nigra at any stage after immobilization (right after immobilization and 15 and 30 days later). The most prominent alterations in noradrenaline content were detected in 1. c + n. sc. 30 days after immobilization NA level in these nuclei was 1.5 times higher, as compared to the control one. It is suggested that the increasing noradrenaline level in 1. c + n. sc. plays a defensive role in survival of rats after immobilization stress.     

大鼠不同状态脑内神经递质功率的变化

目的:分析大鼠不同状态脑内递质功率的变化。方法:本研究采用脑涨落图仪。结果:与清醒状态相比,麻醉状态脑内递质的功率显著下降(P<0.05);大鼠死亡后脑内(死亡当时-死亡后48小时)6种递质的功率都降低到10-5级别(P值均大于0.05),说明死亡后不同时间脑内6种递质的功率无显著性差异。结论:从清醒状态到麻醉状态再到死亡状态,大脑的抑制程度逐渐加深。     

Dynamics of oxygen tension in the brain and subcutaneous adipose tissue of newborn rats during anoxia and reoxygenation

The oxygen tension (pO2) in the brain and subcutaneous tissue of newborn rats was studied during anoxia and reoxygenation with hyperoxic gas mixtures. The level of pO2 in both tissues during anoxia fell from 10-30 mm Hg to 0 mm Hg. When newborn rats were reoxygenated with 50% or 100% O2, the oxygen tension in the brain and subcutaneous first increased and then decreased in spite of the hyperoxic inhalation. The decrease of pO2 in the subcutaneous during hyperoxia was more pronounced than that in the brain. Data obtained are discussed.     

Changes in brain size during the menstrual cycle

Background

There is increasing evidence for hormone-dependent modification of function and behavior during the menstrual cycle, but little is known about associated short-term structural alterations of the brain. Preliminary studies suggest that a hormone-dependent decline in brain volume occurs in postmenopausal, or women receiving antiestrogens, long term. Advances in serial MR-volumetry have allowed for the accurate detection of small volume changes of the brain. Recently, activity-induced short-term structural plasticity of the brain was demonstrated, challenging the view that the brain is as rigid as formerly believed.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We used MR-volumetry to investigate short-term brain volume changes across the menstrual cycle in women or a parallel 4 week period in men, respectively. We found a significant grey matter volume peak and CSF loss at the time of ovulation in females. This volume peak did not correlate with estradiol or progesterone hormone levels. Men did not show any significant brain volume alterations.

Conclusions/Significance

These data give evidence of short-term hormone-dependent structural brain changes during the menstrual cycle, which need to be correlated with functional states and have to be considered in structure-associated functional brain research.     

Changes in the nature of the estrous cycle and gametogenesis during superovulation stimulation in rats at different stages of the cycle

Estrous cycle, ovulation rate and gamete quality were studied in rats with superovulation induced on different days of the cycle. It was shown that the rat ovaries in estrous were most sensitive to the action of gonadotropins. Heterogeneity in the ovulation rate was noted in animals at the same phase of the cycle. There was a relative increase in the number of gametes with chromosomal alterations in experimental rats, with the value depending on the stage of the cycle when PMS was injected. The study of the estrous cycle in rats with superovulation induced on different days of the cycle has revealed strong hormonal influences on the sequence of stage alterations.     

Changes in the protein composition of the synaptic structures of the brain of rats in tetanus intoxication]

As shown by the method of electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel, the number of proteins with low electrophoretic mobility proved to be increased in the triton extract fractions of synaptic structures isolated from spinal cord of rats with local tetanus; no changes in the protein spectrum were revealed in the dodecyl-sulphate extract. In vitro tetanus toxin stimulated the lysin-H3 incorporation into the total proteins of synaptosomes of rat brain cortex.     

Transmural gradients of oxygen tension on cerebral microvessels in rats

Using modified oxygen needle microelectrodes, vital microscopy with video-recording facilities, measurements of tissue oxygen tension (PO2) profiles near the cortical arterioles and transmural PO2 gradients on pial arterioles of the rat were performed. At control transmural PO2 gradient averaged 1.17 +/- 0.06 mm Hg/microm (mean +/- SEM, n = 40). Local dilatation of the arteriolar wall (microapplication of sodium nitroprusside approximately 2 x 10(-7) M) resulted in marked drop of the transmural PO2 gradient to 0.68 +/- 0.04 mm Hg/microm (p < 0.001, n = 38). The important finding of the study is the dependence of the transmural PO2 gradient on the vascular tone of pial arterioles. The data presented allow to conclude that O2 consumption of the arteriolar wall lies within the range for surrounding tissue and O2 consumption of the endothelial layer and, apparently, has no substantial impact on transmural PO2 gradient.     

Steadiness of oxygen tension in the fetal brain during changes in maternal oxygenation

In acute experiments on pregnant rats (86) and their fetuses (76) the authors studied oxygen tension in the brain of the developing organism. In inhalation PO2 in the brain of the fetus practically did not change.     

Content of endogenous opiates and adrenocorticotropic hormone in the brain structures of rats of different ages

The contents of beta-endorphin (BE), methionine-enkephalin (MEK), and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in the hypophysis and hypothalamus of intact 4- to 6-week-old and 16-week-old Wistar rats was studied. The maximum BE concentration was found in the hypophysis, whereas the maximum MEK and ACTH concentrations were found in the hypothalamus. Aging was followed by a decrease in the concentrations of all above substances, except BE, whose concentration in the hypophysis of the older rat group was markedly higher than in the hypophysis of 4- to 6-week-old animals.     

Changes in the level of poly ADP-ribosylation during a cell cycle

In order to analyze the fluctuation of the poly ADP-ribosylation level during the cell cycle of synchronously growing He La S3 cells, we have developed three different assay systems; intact and disrupted nuclear systems, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase in vitro system. The optimum conditions for poly ADP-ribosylation in each assay system were similar except the pH optimum. Under the conditions favoring poly ADP-ribosylation, little radioactivity incorporated into poly(ADP-ribose) was lost after termination of the poly ADP-ribosylation by addition of nicotinamide which inhibits the reactions by more than 90% in any system. In the intact nuclear system, the level of poly ADP-ribosylation increased slightly subsequent to late G2 phase with a peak at M phase. The high level of poly ADP-ribosylation in M phase was also confirmed by using selectively collected mitotic cells which were arrested in M phase by Colcemid. The level in mitotic chromosomes was 5.1-fold higher than that in the nuclei from logarithmically growing cells. Colcemid has no effect on the poly ADP-ribosylation. In the disrupted nuclear system, a relatively high level of poly ADP-ribosylation was observed during mid S-G2 phase. When poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase was extracted from the nuclei with a buffer solution containing 0.3 M KCl, more than 90% of the enzyme activity was recovered. The poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase in vitro system was dependent on both DNA and histone—10 μg each. In the enzyme system, enzyme activity was detected throughout the cell cycle and was observed to be highest in G2 phase. The high level at M phase observed in the intact nuclear system was not seen in the other two systems. Under the assay conditions, little influence of poly(ADP-ribose) degrading enzymes was noted on the level of poly ADP-ribosylation in any of the three systems. This was confirmed at various stages during the cell cycle through pulse-labeling and “chasing” by adding nicotinamide.