1. Effects of Neuroactive Drugs in the Discharge Patterns of Microsternarchus (Hypopomidae: Gymnotiformes) Electric Organ
- Author
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Isac Silva de Jesus, José Antônio Alves-Gomes, Milena Farah Damous Castanho Ferreira, and Urbano Lopes Silva-Júnior
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Drug ,Central Nervous System ,Nicotine ,media_common.quotation_subject ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Central nervous system ,Pharmacology ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,medicine ,Animals ,Nicotinic Agonists ,media_common ,Electric Organ ,Diazepam ,biology ,Behavior, Animal ,Gymnotiformes ,Doxapram ,biology.organism_classification ,Stimulant ,030104 developmental biology ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Anticonvulsants ,Central Nervous System Stimulants ,Hypopomidae ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,Developmental Biology ,medicine.drug - Abstract
Considering the conserved nature of synaptic physiology among vertebrates, we tested the effects of three psychotropics (diazepam, doxapram, and nicotine) on Microsternarchus cf. bilineatus, measuring 10 parameters associated to the electric organ discharges rhythm and waveform before and after the administration of each drug and a control group. There were statistically significant differences (p 0.005) among all the experimental groups, F (70, 22619.25) = 77.7, between the two experimental phases within their respective drug treatment, F (80, 24604.51) = 16.0, and among the six experimental hours within their respective phases and groups, F (320, 37124.15) = 4.1. We observed a common general trend of reduction in the electric organ's (EO) firing rate, regardless of the expected stimulant or depressor effect of the drugs on the central nervous system (CNS). The intensity of the response changed with the treatment. The observed changes in the fishes' behavior may be a result of the drugs' direct action on the CNS or a combination of this with systemic effects of each substance tested, also in the EO.
- Published
- 2017