Adaptogenic role of serotonin in dogs coming out of an experimental neurosis

In a study carried out on dogs by means of alimentary salivary conditioned reflexes, it was found out that serotonin injection into the anterior limbic cortex and the action of neurogenous stimuli lead neither to the development of experimental neurosis nor to the usual for the neurosis increase of blood serotonin level. At the treatment of experimental neurosis by small doses of 5-oxytryptophan, the therapeutic effect of this serotonin predecessor appeared only in the days of its injection. In the subsequent period, the neurotic changes in the higher nervous activity continued, and the blood serotonin level remained increased. These data as well as materials earlier obtained on the increase of the blood serotonin level at neurosis in dogs, give reason to consider the increase of activity of the serotoninergic system at neurosis as one of adaptogenous factors contributing to the coming out of neurosis.     

Cortical influences on thyroid and sex gland function in neurotic dogs

Disturbances of higher nervous activity charactetized by the development of an experimental neurosis were elicited in three male dogs by means of functional influences. This was accompanied by an increase, decrease or no change in the level of total thyroxine in the blood with greater fluctuations of its content on different days. An euthyreoid state persisted in the dogs throughout all periods of the neurosis, which is testified by the absence of changes of the free thyroxine coefficient. In the first three to four weeks of the experimental neurosis the testosterone content in the blood plasma was enhanced, its level not correlating with the variations of thyroxine content in the blood.     

Changes in the synaptosomal membranes in the chronic neurotization of rats

A study was made of the changes in synaptosomal membranes and in some synaptic processes under the development of experimental neurosis in rats. Neurotic rats demonstrated changes in the protein/lipid correlation and in the interaction of the fluorescent ANS probe and synaptosomal membranes. This can be accounted for by an increase in the membrane water repellency. The activity of Na, K-ATPase remains unchanged. The rate of noradrenaline, serotonin, dopamine and GABA synaptosomal reverse uptake in neurotic rats was found to be increased.     

Typological characteristics of dogs in the initial period of the development of neurosis

In the initial period of neurosis, significant differences were found in changes of motor and vegetative reactions in dogs of dissimilar typology. Animals with strong type of the nervous system displayed cyclic transitions from the normal state to the initial stage of pathology and vice versa. Such transitions were practically absent in dogs of the weak type. A method is proposed providing efficient classification of experimental dogs according to their types of higher nervous activity and differentiation of the normal state and the initial stage of neurosis.     

Effect of experimental neurosis on the secretion of acid gastric proteinases in dogs

In experiments on dogs with gastric cannula we proved that the gastric juice, obtained after intravenous injection of insulin, contained after separation of DEAE Sephadex A-50 5--7 proteolytically active fractions. In four dogs of both sexes the ratio and number of individual fractions remained constant in control experiments. However, there were differences between the animals. After induction of experimental neurosis (by the collision of the alimentary and avoidance reflex) all animals showed the same marked changes in the chromatographic patterns of acid proteinases. There was a change not only in the ratio of two larger groups of proteolytically active fractions but also in the total number of all fractions. These changes persisted for 8--10 weeks after induction of experimental neurosis.     

Morphologic changes in the sensomotor cortex in experimental neurosis

Disturbances of higher nervous activity (experimental neurosis) are attended with morphological changes of blood circulation in the sensorimotor area of the cerebral cortex, corresponding to distonic vascular disorders, as well as with hypoxic and neuroglial changes. Observed changes in the nervous tissue also reflect adaptive and defensive mechanisms of the brain (in rabbits).     

Inhibition of free-radical lipid oxidation in the mechanisms of immediate and long-term adaptation to stress

The literary data and own results concerning the stages of free radical lipid oxidation inhibition during the adaptation of animals to stress are reviewed. Using the chronic stress models such as immobilization, experimental neurosis, it has been shown, that in general adaptation syndrome the stage of permanent adaptation to stress corresponds to a permanent inhibition of free radical processes in animal tissues. This stage is accompanied by the activation of superoxide radical scavenging and corresponding changes of lipid composition. similar results are obtained on the model of the development of permanent compensation processes after brain injury. Studying the acute stress it has been found, that during first minutes the inhibition of lipid peroxidation which precedes its further activation takes place. This stage corresponds to the realization of urgent adaptation phase to stress. The role of inhibition of free radical processes in mechanisms of urgent and permanent adaptation to stress is under discussion.     

A Technique for Inducing Experimental Neurosis in Small Laboratory Animals

Research in the mechanism of endocrine disorders in functional disturbances of the central regulatory apparatus requires the development of an appropriate model of the affection. The employment of an experimental neurosis would seem to be promising in this regard. The Pavlov school has thoroughly elaborated techniques of inducing experimental neuroses in dogs, but when small laboratory animals (mice, rats) are employed in large-scale experiments, existing techniques do not provide a means of inducing a long-lasting pathological condition of the higher centers of the central nervous system.     

Functional state of the frontal cortex and ventromedial hypothalamus during physical overexertion and experimental neurosis in the rabbit

A change of excitability, pO2 and local cortical blood flow under a long-term maximum physical load and in conditions of experimental neurosis, was investigated in rabbits with electrodes implanted in the frontal cortex and ventromedial hypothalamus. It was found that functional activity of these structures under physical orverstrain rises as the blood flow and pO2 increase, and the excitability also increases. In experimental neurosis, a discoordination in functioning of the cortex and hypothalamus is observed. Relative stabilization of the functional state of tested structures, observed during physical overstrain, is absent in conditions of experimental neurosis.     

Structural and functional reorganization of neurons and glia in the sensomotor cortex of the cerebral cortex in experimental neurosis

Histological and hypoxic changes in different tissue elements (neurones and glia), testifying to active disturbances of metabolic processes, are observed in the sensorimotor cerebral cortex of rabbits with experimental neurosis. These changes indicate a complex structural-metabolic rearrangement, occuring with this form of CNS pathology. The results of the study may be used for investigation of mechanisms compensating disturbances in the higher nervous activity and for pathogenetically grounded therapy.     

Effect of pretuning of the visual analyzer and activation of the brain on the development of experimental neuroses

It is shown that pretuning of analyzer system is a factor initiating a sharpening of the analysis and subsequent development of experimental neurosis resulting from excessively acute differentiation. A number of behavioural and electrophysiological characteristics was recorded in cats in norm and in neurotization. Pathological action was established of both artificially increased and lowered brain activation. The increase was reached by additional electrical stimulation of various cortical and subcortical brain structures. The lowering took place following isolation of the reticular formation from the visual system. In response to artificial increase of excitation in neuroticized animals seizures took place. The obtained facts confirm the suggestion that pathogenesis of neurosis is accompanied by disturbance of normal activity of activation-deactivation mechanism.     

Experimental neurosis and gastric secretion in dogs

In four dogs (2 males and 2 females from one litter) with established gastric cannula gastric secretion was studied in control experiments and in induced experimental neurosis. Gastric secretion was stimulated by insulin. We monitored in individual 15 min. portions the amount of gastric juice, total HCl output, output of acid gastric proteinases, mucoproteins and some ions. The gastric juice was dialyzed and freeze dried. 50 mg of the lyophilisate was separated on Sephadex G 100. Macromolecular substances were fractionated into glycoproteins (peak I), acid gastric proteinases (peak II) and glycopeptides and polypeptides (peak III). The ratio of these individual macromolecular substances remainded constant in the same dog in all control experiments. However, there were significant differences between individual animals. Induction of experimental neurosis (by collision of the alimentary and avoidance reflex) gave rise to changes not only in the output of HCl and gastric proteinases, but also in the ratio of macromolecular substances. In the series of observed parameters these changes were of a different nature in males and females.     

Disruption of situational reflexes in experimental neurosis brought on by changes in the space factor

Motor activity elaborated in dogs and consisting of delayed choice reactions in a stochastic system (methods developed by Beritashvili, Hunter) and of rhythmic stereotypes of motor situational reflexes (Kupalov method) was not impaired by changes in spatial parameters of unconditioned stimulus in the stochastic system of choosing one feeding trough out of five. The changes in the spatial arrangement of conditioned and unconditioned stimuli in stable stereotypes led to changes in the behaviour of the animals and experimental neurosis with long-lasting disturbances in the situational conditioned reflexes and the short-term memory.     

The protein of glial intermediate filaments in different areas of the rat brain at experimental neurosis

The content and polypeptide composition of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the rat cerebral cortex, cerebellum, hippocampus, and mesencephalon were studied under conditions of experimental neurosis. Significant changes of the total GFAP content were observed in the hippocampus, mesencephalon, and cerebellum. Both the content and polypeptide composition of soluble GFAP form were markedly modified. These changes of glial filament protein apparently reflect the peculiarities of the reorganization of the astrocyte intermediate filaments at the animal’s long-term neurotization.     

Comparative aspects of a study of the self-regulation of higher nervous activity in experimental neuroses in dogs, cats and rats

The higher nervous activity has been studied by means of motor-alimentary conditioned reflexes and delayed reactions in dogs, cats and albino rats at early stages of development of experimental informational neurosis. It was shown that formation of stable pathological reactions is preceeded by self- regulational activity of the brain directed towards elimination of a pathological situation, as well as to the increase of the stability of the nervous system to pathogenic agents. Comparative studies on rodents and predatory animals indicate that in different species the same pathogenic effects on the brain may elicit different forms of self-regulation of the higher nervous activity.     

Neuroses and their pathogenesis

History and current state of the problem of experimental neuroses are reviewed in this article. The presented results of neurochemical, structural, and electroencephalographic investigations unravel earlier unknown aspects of the disease. Thus, circulatory cerebral hypoxia, as a principally new stage discovered for the first time in the development of an experimental neurosis allows the pathogenetically substantiated treatment with antioxidants to be applied in animal experiments and in clinical therapy of neurotic patients.     

Patterns in the transition from normal to neurosis in dogs with different typological traits in food and defensive situations

At comparison of the formation of neurosis in dogs with different typological characteristics in conditions with alimentary and pain reinforcement, a resemblance was revealed of transition from norm to the initial stage of pathology. In strong animals a development was seen of compensatory tachycardia at circular changes of conditioned activity. Weak type dogs are characterized by a lowering or full disappearance of reflexes in combination with bradycardia. The method of differentiation, allowing in situations with alimentary reinforcement to classify the tested animals according to the type of higher nervous activity and differentiate the states of "norm" and "initial stage of neurosis", proved to be effective for the analogous aims also in studies with defensive reinforcement.     

Neurogenic (Hysteroid) Motor Disorders in Hamadryas Baboons

Pavlov's teaching on experimental neuroses is of prime importance for gaining insight into human neurosis. Pavlov devoted special attention to hysteria (1). His concept of the possibility of creating a model of this human neurosis in dogs was not constant, although the reproduction of individual symptoms of hysteria, especially of paralytic motor disorders, is an indisputable experimental fact, and can be explained within the framework of the principles of higher nervous activity established with respect to dogs.     

Characteristics of concanavalin A-binding neurospecific glycoproteins from various regions of the rat brain during experimental neurosis

The polypeptide composition of neurospecific glycoproteins in different areas of the rat brain under experimental neurosis is characterized using SDS-PAG-electrophoresis followed by electroblot and immunofixation on nitrocellulose membranes. The soluble and membrane-bound glycoproteins are purified by Con A-Sepharose column chromatography. Changes in the glycoprotein polypeptide composition in different areas of the rat brain under experimental neurosis are qualitative. Soluble glycopolypeptide 27 kDa and membrane glycopolypeptide 32 kDa are not revealed in the midbrain and corpus striatum. Soluble polypeptide 47 kDa is absent in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. It is suggested that the above mentioned glycopolypeptides are important for the CNS physiological functioning.     

Experimental neurosis in developing rats

An experimental neurosis was obtained in thirty, young one-month rats. To reveal age peculiarities of neurotization by the suggested method 5 adult animals were tested. It is shown that 5-7 days were needed for the deterioration of neural processes in developing rats. The neurotization of adult animals required a longer period--up to 20 days. In young animals, the experimental neurosis was elicited and developed more rapidly, with more prominent pathological reactions. Heightened sensitivity to stimuli of moderate intensity, presented in a strict cyclic rhythm of high frequency was characteristic of one-month rats.