Nikkar E, Ghoshooni H, Hadipour MM, Sahraei H. Effect of Nitric Oxide on Basolateral Amygdala on Persistence of Anxiety and Depression in Stressed Male Rats.
Basic Clin Neurosci 2019;
10:13-22. [PMID:
31031890 PMCID:
PMC6484182 DOI:
10.32598/bcn.9.10.100]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Revised: 03/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction:
The current study aimed at investigating the role of Nitric Oxide (NO) in the maintenance of anxiety and depression induced by stress in male Wistar rats using intra-Basolateral Amygdala (BLA) injection of NO precursor, L-arginine, Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) inhibitor, and L-NAME.
Methods:
Two 23-gauge stainless steel cannulas were placed in the BLA, stereotaxically. Seven days later, animals experienced electro foot shock stress based on the following protocol: animals experienced four sessions of stress for 60 minutes in four consecutive days. Five minutes before each stress session, the animals received different doses of L-arginine or L-NAME (1, 5 and, 10 μg/rat) or saline (0.5 μL/rat) intra-BLA. Six days after the stress termination, animals were tested for maintenance of anxiety-like behavior (elevated plus maze; EPM) and eight days after the stress they were examined for depression (forced swimming test; FST).
Results:
Stress reduced the time and number of open arms and decreased motor activity on EPM. Stress-induced anxiety was inhibited by L-arginine and L-NAME (1, 5, and 10 μg/rat). L-Arginine and L-NAME induced anxiety in non-stressed rats. Stress also increased the immobility time in animals in FST paradigm. Interestingly, both L-arginine and L-NAME, in all doses reduced the stress effect.
Conclusion:
BLA nitric oxide may play a pivotal role in anxiety and depression induced by stress in rats. Since the effects of both L-arginine and L-NAME were similar, NO might have a modulatory role in the BLA.
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