Study of envolviment of endocanabinoid system in the medial pre-frontal cortex of rats on the modulation of autonomic responses during restraint stress: possibile interection with glutamatergic and nitrergic systems

• Grant number: 12/00390-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: June 01, 2012
• End date: January 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Autonomic Pharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Fernando Morgan de Aguiar Correa
• Grantee: Teophanes Barbosa Moraes Neto
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 07/03685-3 - Typical and atypical neurotransmitters in neuropsychiatric disorders, AP.TEM

Abstract

The ventral medial pre-frontal cortex (vMPFC) belongs to the limbic system and is involved in the modulation of autonomic responses. Both electrical and pharmacological stimulation of vCPFM promotes changes in the cardiovascular system of rats. During aversive situations can be observed both autonomic (increased blood pressure, heart rate and skin temperature decrease) and behavioral responses. The vMPFC is involved in several changes associates to defensives reactions, and have connections with several structures that modulate these responses, as part of a pathway responsible for modulating responses during aversive situations. Increases are observed in the autonomic responses during restraint stress (RE).The glutamatergic system, through activation of NMDA receptors, increases the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) by activation of neuronial isoform of nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). This NMDA/ NO interaction modulates the autonomics responses during aversives situations, including those resulting from RE.However glutamatergic neurotransmission can be reduced by the endocannabinoid system through the activation of CB1 receptors in vMPFC. And the activation of CB1 receptors in vCPFM causes a reduction in immobility time and the cardiovascular responses to stress.Therefore the hypothesis of present project is that endocanabinóide system in the vMPFC modulate the autonomics responses resulting of RE, to modulate the glutamatergic/ nitrergic neurotransmissions.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MORAES-NETO, T. B.; SCOPINHO, A. A.; BIOJONE, C.; CORREA, F. M. A.; RESSTEL, L. B. M.. INVOLVEMENT OF DORSAL HIPPOCAMPUS GLUTAMATERGIC AND NITRERGIC NEUROTRANSMISSION IN AUTONOMIC RESPONSES EVOKED BY ACUTE RESTRAINT STRESS IN RATS. Neuroscience, v. 258, p. 364-373, JAN 31 2014. (12/17626-7, 11/07332-3, 12/09300-4, 12/00390-0)