Authors: Masoumeh Hatam Ali Nasimi
Publish Date: 2006/11/30
Volume: 178, Issue: 3, Pages: 394-401
Abstract
The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis BST is a part of the limbic system Two studies have shown that microinjection of lglutamate in the BST elicited cardiovascular depressive and bradycardic responses but in one study both pressor and depressor responses were observed in the chemical stimulation of BST by glutamate in the urethaneanesthetized rats Also the roles of glutamate receptor subtypes have not been investigated yet The aim of this study was to find the effects of glutamate and its receptors on the blood pressure and heart rate in the BST of urethaneanesthetized rats The drugs 50 nl were microinjected into the BST of anaesthetized rats The blood pressure and heart rate were recorded throughout each experiment The average changes in the mean arterial pressure and heart rate at different intervals were compared both within each case group and between the case and the control groups using repeated measures ANOVA Microinjection of lglutamate 025 M into the BST resulted in the decrease of the mean arterial pressure −1885 ± 384 mmHg and heart rate −18 ± 4 beats/min Injection of AP5 antagonist of glutamate NMDA receptor 25 5 mM and CNQX antagonist of glutamate AMPA receptor 05 1 mM had no significant effect on the mean arterial pressure and heart rate Either Ap5 or CNQX when coinjected with glutamate abolished the depressor and bradycardic effects of glutamate suggesting that simultaneous activation of both glutamate receptors is necessary for the effect of glutamate system to emerge
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