The endogenous opioid system modulates defensive behavior evoked by Crotalus durissus terrificus: Panicolytic-like effect of intracollicular non-selective opioid receptors blockade

Author(s)

Calvo, Fabricio ^{[1, 2, 3, 4]} ; Lobao-Soares, Bruno ^{[5, 1, 2, 6]} ; de Freitas, Renato Leonardo ^{[1, 7, 8, 9]} ; Paschoalin-Maurin, Tatiana ^{[5, 1, 2]} ; dos Anjos-Garcia, Tayllon ^{[1, 2]} ; Medeiros, Priscila ^{[1, 2]} ; da Silva, Juliana Almeida ^{[1, 2]} ; Lovick, Thelma Anderson ^{[5, 10]} ; Coimbra, Norberto Cysne ^{[5, 1, 2, 7, 8, 11]}

Affiliation:Show less -

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Med Ribeirao Preto, Dept Pharmacol, Lab Neuroanat & Neuropsychobiol, FMRP, Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto Sch Med, Ophidiarium LNN, INeC, FMRP, Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[3] Sao Lucas Coll, Dept Pharmacol, Porto Velho, RO - Brazil

^[4] Aparicio Carvalho Integrat Coll, Porto Velho, RO - Brazil

^[5] Inst Neurociencias & Comportamento INeC, Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[6] Fed Univ Rio Grande Norte UFRN, Dept Biophys & Pharmacol, Natal, RN - Brazil

^[7] Univ Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto Med Sch, Lab Neurobiol Pain & Emot, Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[8] Univ Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto Med Sch, Multiuser Ctr Neuroelectrophysiol, Dept Surg & Anat, Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[9] Fed Univ Alfenas UNIFAL MG, Biomed Sci Inst, Alfenas, MG - Brazil

^[10] Univ Bristol, Sch Physiol Pharmacol & Neurosci, Bristol, Avon - England

^[11] Univ Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto Sch Med, NAP Neurobiol Emot Res Ctr NuPNE, FMRP, Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY; v. 33, n. 1, p. 51-61, JAN 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 4

Abstract

Background: There is a controversy regarding the key role played by opioid peptide neurotransmission in the modulation of panic-attack-related responses. Aims: Using a prey versus rattlesnakes paradigm, the present work investigated the involvement of the endogenous opioid peptide-mediated system of the inferior colliculus in the modulation of panic attack-related responses. Methods: Wistar rats were pretreated with intracollicular administration of either physiological saline or naloxone at different concentrations and confronted with rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus terrificus). The prey versus rattlesnake confrontations were performed in a polygonal arena for snakes. The defensive behaviors displayed by prey (defensive attention, defensive immobility, escape response, flat back approach and startle) were recorded twice: firstly, over a period of 15 min the presence of the predator and a re-exposure was performed 24 h after the confrontation, when animals were exposed to the experimental enclosure without the rattlesnake. Results: The intramesencephalic non-specific blockade of opioid receptors with microinjections of naloxone at higher doses decreased both anxiety- (defensive attention and flat back approach) and panic attack-like (defensive immobility and escape) behaviors, evoked in the presence of rattlesnakes and increased non-defensive responses. During the exposure to the experimental context, there was a decrease in duration of defensive attention. Conclusions: These findings suggest a panicolytic-like effect of endogenous opioid receptors antagonism in the inferior colliculus on innate (panic attack) and conditioned (anticipatory anxiety) fear in rats threatened by rattlesnakes. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/11869-0 - Multi-use equipment approved in grant 2013/12916-0: deep brain stimulation (DBS) (Thomas mini matrix system - Thomas recording GmbH® - Winchester Strasse - Giessen - Germany)
• Grantee: Renato Leonardo de Freitas
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program
• FAPESP's process: 07/01174-1 - Study of the Involvement of opioid-, serotonergic- and noradrenergic-mechanisms of the pain endogenous inhibitory system in antinociceptive processes induced by oriented escape reactions evoked by chemical stimulation of the merdial hypothalamus
• Grantee: Norberto Cysne Coimbra
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/10313-1 - Study of nigro-tectal GABAergic pathways activity during the elaboration of defensive behaviour: role of endocannabinoid mediated neuromodulation in the caudatum putamen of the GABAergic disinhibitory neostriatum-nigral inhibitory nigro-collicular pathways
• Grantee: Juliana Almeida da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 17/11855-8 - Study of corpus striatum and ventral mesencephalon endocanabinoid influence on neostriato-nigro-tectal GABAergic pathways during panic reactions of rodents threatened by venomous snakes
• Grantee: Norberto Cysne Coimbra
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 09/02458-9 - Neuropharmacological study of the interaction between cannabinoid and opioid circuits of the substantia nigra, pars reticulata, on the activity of the nigrotectal GABAergic pathways, and of its role in the modulation of the innate fear-induced analgesia
• Grantee: Juliana Almeida da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 12/03798-0 - Involvement of opioid and endocanabinoid receptors of the substantia nigra on the activity of Nigro-Tectal GABAergic pathways during defensive behaviour elicited by rodents confronted with venomous snakes
• Grantee: Norberto Cysne Coimbra
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 13/12916-0 - Role of endocannabinoid, glutamatergic and endovanilloid systems of medial prefrontal cortex in neuropathic pain model and investigation of neurological disorders and chronic pain comorbidity
• Grantee: Renato Leonardo de Freitas
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• FAPESP's process: 12/25167-2 - Role of glutamatergic, endocannabinoid and endovaniloid systems of medial pre-frontal cortex in neurophatic pain model: Investigation of panic and chronic pain comorbidity
• Grantee: Priscila Medeiros de Freitas
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate