Possible involvement of nitric oxide in locomotor behaviour in rats

A. R. Jayakumar, K. Rajasekaran, E. H. Subramanian, V. Paul

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Spontaneous motor activity (SMA) which is a motivated behaviour of rats was measured using photoactometer 5 and 30 m after injecting graded doses (1000 and 2000 mg/kg) of Nitric Oxide (NO) precursor, L - arginine. In order to test a forced task, motor coordination was determined in similarly treated rats using a rota-rod instrument. The data were correlated with the changes produced by the same doses of L-arginine on NO concentration in the whole brain. NO concentration was increased in a dose dependent manner 5 as well as 30 m after L-arginine treatment. However no difference was found between 5 and 30 m data SMA was suppressed significantly in both 5 and 30 m treated animals. Motor coordination was not affected by either dose of L-arginine. Thus, brain NO concentration data coincided well with L-arginine-induced suppression of SMA. These results suggest that motivation to perform a task and not a forced task is suppressed if NO activity is increased in the brain. It is concluded that locomotor behaviour may be impaired if No concentration is increased significantly in the brain.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)215-219
Number of pages5
JournalBiomedicine
Volume19
Issue number3
StatePublished - Dec 1 1999

Keywords

  • L-arginine
  • Motor coordination
  • Nitric oxide
  • Spontaneous motor activity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

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