Abstract

Bilateral olfactory bulbectomy produced the increased tendency of mouse-killing behavior in nonkiller rats (60% on the 14th day after surgery). Scopolamine hydrobromide (4 and 8 mg/kg, IP) significantly suppressed the killing response in a dose-dependent manner, whereas methylscopolamine nitrate was ineffective. In order to investigate a possible neural mechanisms, choline acetyltransferase (CAT) and acetylcholinesterase (ACh-E) activities were measured in 7 discrete brain areas: cortex, amygdala, hypothalamus, thalamus, tegmentum, hippocampus, and pons plus medulla oblongata. Although the central anticholinergic drug suppressed mouse-killing, no significant difference in either CAT and ACh-E activities was found between the killer and nonkiller rats in any of the brain areas determined in this study. The evidence suggests that the neurochemical findings may not fit the pharmacological findings for supporting a unified cholinergic hypothesis for mouse-killing behavior.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.