Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Cataleptic state and hypothermia in mice, caused by central cholinergic stimulation and antagonized by anticholinergic and antidepressant drugs

1968; Pergamon Press; Volume: 7; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0028-3908(68)90015-4

1878-1713

G. Zetler,

Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

A cataleptic state in mice is produced by arecoline,pilocarpine,tremorine, nicotine, and paraoxon. To protect the animals against the peripheral actions of these cholinergics, atropine methylnitrate was given before the first three drugs, hexamethonium bromide before nicotine, and pralidoxime before paraoxon. Atropine, scopolamine, imipramine, desipramine, and amitriptyline prevented catalepsy. This antagonistic action was dose-dependent, scopolamine being at least 10 times more active than atropine. Desipramine was less active than imipramine. With the exception of nicotine, cataleptic doses of the cholinergics also caused hypothermia which was diminished or abolished by atropine and scopolamine, the latter being, however, inactive against tremorine hypothermia. Anticataleptic doses of the antidepressants did not influence hypothermia. It is concluded that (a) muscarinic stimulation of the central nervous system causes catalepsy and can cause hypothermia; (b) catalepsy and hypothermia are independent phenomena.