Abstract
The effect of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA), (+-)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA), or (+-)-trans-1-amino-1,3-cyclo-pentanedicarboxylic acid (ACPD) (5-60 ng in 0.3 microliter of saline) microinjected in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus on penile erection and yawning was studied in male rats. NMDA induced both penile erection and yawning in a dose-dependent manner. AMPA and ACPD also induced penile erection but less potently than NMDA, but were ineffective in causing yawning. NMDA effect on penile erection and yawning was prevented by (+)-MK-801 (0.05-0.1 mg/kg IP, 10 min before NMDA), by the oxytocin antagonist d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)-Orn8- vasotocin (50-100 ng ICV 10 min before NMDA), but not by haloperidol (0.1-0.5 mg/kg IP 10 min before NMDA). The results suggest that NMDA induces penile erection and yawning by increasing oxytocinergic transmission by acting in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Cycloleucine / administration & dosage
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Cycloleucine / analogs & derivatives
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Cycloleucine / antagonists & inhibitors
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Cycloleucine / pharmacology
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Dopamine / physiology
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Injections
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Injections, Intraventricular
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Male
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N-Methylaspartate / administration & dosage
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N-Methylaspartate / antagonists & inhibitors
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N-Methylaspartate / pharmacology*
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Neurotoxins / administration & dosage
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Neurotoxins / antagonists & inhibitors
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Neurotoxins / pharmacology
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Oxytocin / physiology*
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Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / physiology*
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Penile Erection / drug effects*
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Rats
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Receptors, Amino Acid / antagonists & inhibitors
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Receptors, Amino Acid / drug effects
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Synaptic Transmission / drug effects
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Yawning / drug effects*
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alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid / administration & dosage
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alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid / antagonists & inhibitors
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alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid / pharmacology
Substances
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Neurotoxins
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Receptors, Amino Acid
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Cycloleucine
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1-amino-1,3-dicarboxycyclopentane
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Oxytocin
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N-Methylaspartate
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alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid
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Dopamine