Elsevier

Physiology & Behavior

Volume 7, Issue 3, September 1971, Pages 321-329
Physiology & Behavior

Multiple unit activity during habituation, sleep-wakefulness cycle and the effect of ACTH and corticosteroid treatment

https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9384(71)90309-XGet rights and content

Abstract

Experiments were carried out on chronically implanted freely moving cats. The multiple unit activity (MUA) of mesencephalic reticular formation, midline thalamic nuclei, medial forebrain bundle, medial preoptic area and fornix was studied during habituation to a novel environment and the effect of pituitary adrenocortical hormones on this process was tested. MUA was continuously recorded during attentive behavior, slow-wave sleep, paradoxical phase of sleep (PPS), and auditory and somatic stimulation. A gradual, though marked decrease was found in the MUA levels of all structures in the course of consecutive sessions. The animals were considered as habituated to the environment when the MUA levels for each type of activity remained at a constant value. Hormone injections (ACTH; hydrocortisone, cortisone and corticosterone) were given to non-habituated and habituated animals. All the above mentioned hormones induced marked decrease in MUA in all animals, ACTH and hydrocortisone reduced both the number and duration of PPS on the day of hormone administration, while corticosterone and cortisone resulted in an increase. The present data indicate that both ACTH and corticosteroids have a decreasing effect on the brain excitability and they suggest that through this mechanism they might influence the process of habituation.

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    This work was partially supported by a Grant from the Ford Foundation. Steroids were kindly supplied by Syntex de México.

    3

    Mailing Address: Institute of Physiology, University Medical School, Rákóczi ut 80., Pécs, Hungary.

    2

    IBRO/UNESCO Fellow on sabbatical leave from the University Medical School of Pécs.

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