Body Shakes Research Articles

Variability in human response to whole-body vibration. The effects of instructions.

Two studies are described in this paper with the aim of assessing the degree to which the instructions given to a subject during an experiment designed to investigate human reaction to vibration, affect the vibration equal sensation contour which is produced. In the first study, 100 subjects produced equal sensation contours by equating pairs of vibration stimuli. After each pair, subjects were required to record the basis on which they had made their judgements. The results demonstrated that subjects differ in the concepts which they use to equate vibration stimuli, although the majority equate in terms of the degree to which parts of the body are shaken. In the second study, 48 subjects were required to produce equal sensation contours using the terms of either ‘comfort’ or ‘discomfort’ or ‘body shake’ or ‘sensation’. The overall contour shapes produced by the four instruction groups were not significantly different, although the frequency ranges of maximum vibration sensitivity were shown to be signifi...

Behavioral and neurochemical effects of apomorphine in the cat

Administration of apomorphine (2–10 mg/kg i.p.) elicited a number of behaviors, such as limb flicking, abortive grooming, investigatory and hallucinatory-like responses, head and body shakes, and excessive grooming, which we have previously proposed as an animal model for studying the actions of LSD and related hallucinogens. Repeated administration of apomorphine resulted in a significant tolerance, which occurred within 2h of the initial injection, and completely dissipated within 24 h. A pronounced LSD-apomorphine cross tolerance was observed; however there was no significant apomorphine-LSD cross tolerance. Apomorphine-induced behavioral changes were blocked by prior treatment with haloperidol, but were unchanged by pretreatment with L-DOPA. Administration of L-DOPA, in combination with a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor, did not elicit these characteristic behavioral changes. Increasing synaptic serotonin levels by monoamine oxidase inhibition, precursor administration, or reuptake blockade in general did not alter the behavioral response to apomorphine. Similarly, pretreatment with serotonin receptor blockers produced no large changes in apomorphine-induced behaviors. Prior serotonin depletion with chronic p-chlorophenylalanine administration, however, potentiated certain apomorphine-induced behaviors. Neurochemical studies revealed that apomorphine administration increased striatal dopamine, and decreased dopamine metabolites. Norepinephrine levels were generally decreased throughout the CNS by apomorphine treatment. Administration of apomorphine increased CNS serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleactic acid levels, while tryptophan levels were unchanged. The biological bases of the limb flick model is discussed in the context of these pharmacological and neurochemical studies.

Behavioral effects of quipazine in the cat

Administration of quipazine to cats elicits a number of behaviors, such as limb flicking, abortive grooming, investigatory behavior and hallucinatory-like behavior, which we have previously proposed as an animal behavioral model for studying the actions of LSD and related hallucinogens. While recent studies have indicated that these model behaviors may not be totally specific for hallucinogenic drugs, the model can still be useful for studying drug action. Quipazine (0.5–5.0 mg/kg i.p.) produced significant increases in limb flicking, abortive grooming, investigatory behavior, hallucinatory-like behavior, grooming, head and body shakes, staring and yawning. These behavioral changes persisted for 1–6 h, depending on the dose of quipazine employed. Administration of quipazine (5.0 mg/kg per day) for 5 consecutive days produced no significant tolerance effect on any of these model behaviors. These quipazine induced behavioral changes were potentiated by pretreatment with apomorphine, and partially blocked by pretreatment with haloperidol. Quipazine-induced behavioral changes were potentiated by prior serotonin depletion with p-chlorophenylalanine, and completely blocked by pretreatment with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor or the serotonin precursor, L-5-hydroxytryptophan. These quipazine-induced behavioral changes were also blocked by pretreatment with the serotonin receptor blockers, cinnanserin, methysergide or cyproheptadine. The mechanism of action of quipazine, as well as the neuropharmacology of the limb flick model, is discussed in the context of these studies with serotonergic and dopaminergic drugs.

Effects of .BETA.-endorphin, thyrotropin-releasing hormone and cholecystokinin on body shaking behavior in rats.

Effects of intracerebroventricular administration of beta-endorphin, thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8), non-sulfated CCK-8 (CCK-8-NS) and caerulein on body shaking behavior were observed in rats. CCK-8 and its related peptides produced only a small increase in the number of body shakes, while TRH had the striking effect of stimulating body shakes, this increase being markedly suppressed by simultaneous administration of beta-endorphin. Moreover, the suppressive effect of beta-endorphin on TRH-induced body shakes was antagonized by simultaneous administration of caerulein and CCK-8. The body shakes induced by ice-water immersion were also reduced by beta-endorphin, this beta-endorphin effect being partly antagonized by caerulein and CCK-8.

Nociceptive reactivity and precipitated abstinence in hypophysectomized rats.

Nociceptive reactions were determined using the hot plate technique (55 degrees C) in sham-operated and hypophysectomized rats. No significant differences were noticed in the latencies to lick, jump, or escape between the two groups. These experiments indicate that pituitary endorphins are not the sole endogenous substances involved in the regulation of thermonociception. In hypophysectomized rats rendered acutely dependent on morphine, following naloxone, some signs of precipitated abstinence (chewing and teeth chattering) were significantly diminished, some others (abnormal posture, body tremor and pilo-erection) were significantly enhanced, and many others (urination, paw shakes, body shakes, diarrhoea, jump, rearing, eye blinking, head shakes and grooming) were not modified. These observations indicate that the pituitary has a complex role in the expression of signs of abstinence. However, concomitant lesions of the adjacent areas such as the hypothalamus might have also contributed to the observed modifications of the abstinence signs. Hence, it may be advisable always to interpret the results obtained with hypophysectomized rats with some caution.

NOCICEPTIVE REACTIVITY AND PRECIPITATED ABSTINENCE IN HYPOPHYSECTOMIZED RATS

Nociceptive reactions were determined using the hot plate technique (55°C) in sham-operated and hypophysectomized rats. No significant differences were noticed in the latencies to lick, jump, or escape between the two groups. These experiments indicate that pituitary endorphins are not the sole endogenous substances involved in the regulation of thermonociception. In hypophysectomized rats rendered acutely dependent on morphine, following naloxone, some signs of precipitated abstinence (chewing and teeth chattering) were significantly diminished, some others (abnormal posture, body tremor and pilo-erection) were significantly enhanced, and many others (urination, paw shakes, body shakes, diarrhoea, jump, rearing, eye blinking, head shakes and grooming) were not modified. These observations indicate that the pituitary has a complex role in the expression of signs of abstinence. However, concomitant lesions of the adjascent areas such as the hypothalamus might have also contributed to the observed modifications of the abstinence signs. Hence, it may be advisable always to interpret the results obtained with hypophysectomized rats with some caution.

Involvement of central noradrenergic system in thyrotropin-releasing hormone-induced behavioral excitement in 6-OHDOPA-treated, infant rats.

A subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) 20 mg/kg, produced body shake and struggle, consequently induced an increase of count in ANIMEX activity meter in 7-day-old rats pretreated with 6-hydroxydopa (6-OHDOPA), 75 mg/kg, on days 0, 2 and 4. TRH-induced behavioral excitement was markedly attenuated in the infant animals which were injected desmethylimipramine, 5 mg/kg, 30 min before 6-OHDOPA on days 0, 2 and 4. It is suggested that central catecholaminergic, in particular, noradrenergic system is involved in TRH-induced body shake and struggle in 6-OHDOPA-treated, infant rats.

Differential involvement of dopamine-containing tracts in 5-hydroxytryptamine-dependent behaviours caused by amphetamine in large doses

Dopamine (DA) concentrations in the rat striatum and/or nucleus accumbens were decreased by lesions in the nigra, ventral tegmentum, striatum and accumbens induced by 6-hydroxydopamine. These affected a range of DA- and 5-hydroxytryptamine-(5HT) dependent behaviours induced by 25 mg/kg of d-amphetamine as follows. Changes in DA-dependent behaviour (forward locomotion, head bobbing) occured which were consistent with DA terminals in the accumbens and striatum being required for locomotor and stereotypical behaviour, respectively. A repetitive 5HT-dependent behaviour (head weaving) was decreased by lesions which depleted striatal DA. A 5HT-dependent behaviour with repetitive and locomotor elements (reciprocal forepaw treading) was only decreased by the nigral and tegmental lesions which depleted DA in both the striatum and the accumbens (and presumably also in other regions). These results suggest that 5HT-dependent behaviours of stereotypical character also require DA. Conversely, two 5HT-dependent behaviours, without obvious stereotypical or locomotor elements (body shakes, hind limb abduction), were not decreased by any of the lesions (and increased by some). Backward walking was markedly inhibited by lesions which decreased striatal DA. The above evidence for different relationships between each of the 5HT-dependent behaviours studied and DA-containing systems implies that these behaviours are separately mediated. It may clarify previous disagreement on the role of DA in these behaviours.

Sedative action of cholecystokinin octapeptide on behavioral excitation by thyrotropin releasing hormone and methamphetamine in the rat.

Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of C-terminal octapeptide of cholecystokinin (CCK-8) in rats prolonged pentobarbital- and ethanol-induced sleeping time, but non-sulfated CCD-8 (CCK-8-NS) had no effect and caerulein showed a tendency to prolong the pentobarbital narcosis. On the other hand, i.c.v. injection of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) shortened the sleeping time and the effect of CCK-8 was apparently antagonized by combined administration of TRH. Spontaneous locomotor activity in the late morning and early afternoon was not affected by CCK-8, but it increased following i.c.v. injection of CCK-8-NS. Hyperactivity produced by TRH and methamphetamine was suppressed by i.c.v. injection of CCK-8, while CCK-8-NS showed a tendency to enhance the methamphetamine-induced hyperactivity and caerulein had no effect. These results indicate that CCK-8 has a sedative action and antagonizes the behavioral excitation caused by TRH and methamphetamine, but that the effects of CCK-8-NS and caerulein were rather the opposite of those of CCK-8. In an additional experiment the TRH-induced body shaking response was not affected by combined administration of CCK-8.

Dipropylacetate-induced quasi-morphine abstinence behaviour in the rat: Involvement of amygdaloid and thalamic structures

Quasi-morphine abstinence behaviour induced by di-n-propylacetate (DPA) in rats is thought to be caused by an increased GABAergic activity in the CNS. Behavioural responses after intracerebral injections of DPA were studied to gain insight into the centre median-parafascicularis (Cm-Pf) resulted in a large number of body shakes and greater locomotor activity when compared to other brain areas. Injection of DPA into the central amygdala (Ac) resulted in an enhanced number of chewing episodes. Administration of bicuculline methiodide (BMI) into the Cm-Pf, 5 min after intraperitoneal administration of DPA, suppressed by body shakes but had only minor effects on horizontal activity, whereas injection of morphine into the same structure suppressed both behavioural symptoms. It is concluded that GABAergic and opioid mechanisms in the Cm-Pf are involved in the DPA-induced behaviour. Injection of BMI into the central amygdala shortly after i.p. injection of DPA resulted in an increase in the number of body shakes, whereas no effect was observed on activity. Morphine applied to this structure slightly potentiated the locomotor activity, but had no effect on the body shakes induced by DPA. The present results suggest a facilitatory role for a GABAergic system in the Cm-Pf on body shakes, while in the central amygdala a GABAergic system exerts an inhibitory influence on this symptom of abstinence.

On the specificity of a cat behavior model for the study of hallucinogens

LSD is the prototype for a cat behavior model for the study of hallucinogens. The model's specificity was tested with the nonhallucinogen methysergide, a d-lysergic acid amide derivative structurally similar to LSD. The frequencies of occurrence of the model behaviors limb flicking, grooming, and head plus body shaking show statistically significant dose dependency after i.p. methysergide (62.5–1000 μg/kg), and the maximum frequencies of the methysergide-elicited behaviors occur between 1–3 h post-dose. Methysergide produces statistically significant tolerance to limb flicking and grooming 24 h following an acute dose, and there is statistically significant methysergide-LSD and LSD-methysergide cross tolerance to limb flicking at 24 h. In addition, pretreatment with methysergide 15 min before LSD or lisuride antagonizes their elicitation of model behaviors. The dose-response, time course, and tolerance results with methysergide are analogous to those observed after LSD, showing that methysergide has all of the key properties of the model's prototype and, therefore, that the cat behavior model is not specific for hallucinogens.

Short‐term Modulation of Domestic Pigeon (Columbia livia L.) Behaviour Induced by Intraventricular Administration of ACTH

The behavioural responses induced in adult domestic pigeons by intraventricular injections of 0 to 6 IU of ACTH 1-39 are reported. The frequency of 10 different behaviour patterns was recorded for 90 min after administration of the peptide. The effect that was induced was complex, the frequency of some patterns increasing (yawning, headshaking, body shaking, wing-flapping), or some others decreasing (feeding, one-wing stretching, eye closing) or remaining unchanged (preening). The frequency of several patterns was maximal during the first 30 min following the injections but this was shown in some cases to be independent on the hormone administration.

The Yawning elicited by alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone involves serotonergic-dopaminergic-cholinergic neuron link in rats.

A behavioral study was performed in an attempt to understand the neuronal mechanisms involved in yawning and ‘Wet-Dog’ body shaking in rats.

A comparison of butyrophenone and tricyclic neuroleptics with narcotics in blocking withdrawal signs in rats continuously infused with morphine

AbstractNarcotic dependence was established in male rats by continuous infusion of morphine given in increasing concentrations. Termination of the morphine infusion resulted in the reliable occurrence of body shakes. Narcotic drugs, morphine, fentanyl, and methadone, blocked withdrawal body shakes in a dose‐dependent manner. The butyrophenone neuroleptics, haloperidol, benperidol, and azaperone, were also effective in reducing withdrawal body shakes at doses that do not produce side effects. Trifluoperazine and chlorpromazine, two tricyclic neuroleptics were effective in reducing withdrawal shakes only at high doses that produced side effects. The anti‐withdrawal action of morphine, haloperidol, benperidol, and azaperone but not of chlorpromazine and trifluoperazine was antagonized by naloxone.

TRH-induced behavioral arousal in developing rats pretreated with 6-hydroxydopa

The behavioral effect of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) was investigated in the developing rat pretreated with 6-OHDOPA at birth. An IP injection of TRH (20 mg/kg) increased walking with sniffing, rearing, body shaking, grooming, chewing and licking in the 7-, 14-, 20- and 30-day-old as well as in the adult rat. TRH-induced locomotor stimulation began a few minutes after the injection and lasted for approximately 60 min. But on Day 7, TRH produced locomotor stimulation between 1.5 hr and 3.5 hr after the injection. Neonatal treatment with 6-OHDOPA markedly potentiated TRH-induced locomotor stimulation and behavioral arousal in the 7-day-old rat but not in the 14-day-old and adult rat. The marked potentiation of TRH-induced locomotor stimulation by 6-OHDOPA in the 7-day-old rat was reduced by α-flupenthixol (pA 2=5.9) and phenoxybenzamine (pA 2=4.4). These results suggest that central dopamine neurons are involved in TRH-induced behavioral arousal in the infant rat.

Differential antagonism by neuroleptics of backward-walking and other behaviours caused by amphetamine at high dosage

Rats given 25 mg/kg d-amphetamine exhibit backward-walking, circling, head-bobbing and a group of behaviours (reciprocal forepaw treading, hind-limb abduction, body shakes and Straub tail) recognized as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-dependent. Determination of the effects of some neuroleptic drugs and metoclopramide on these behaviours showed that inhibitory effects on backward-walking and circling paralleled each other except for α-flupenthixol which was more effective against circling. Drugs which inhibited 5-HT-dependent behaviours (thioridazine), head-bobbing (bromoperidol, α-flupenthixol) or all these behaviours (clozapine) also inhibited backward-walking at the same dose, thus strengthening previous evidence that release of both 5-HT and dopamine (DA) is required for backward-walking (and circling). A requirement for 5-HT is also indicated by a close relationship between the effectiveness of the drugs against backward-walking and published data on their effects on tryptamine seizures. Metoclopramide, haloperidol, pimozide and sulpiride inhibited backward-walking at doses which had little effect on either other 5-HT-dependent behaviours or head-bobbing. The above and other relationships indicate that backward-walking may be a useful animal behavioural model for studying 5-HT-DA interactions and that these may be relevant to schizophrenia.

Following several days of continuous administration d-amphetamine acquires hallucinogenlike properties.

Rats injected with LSD or mescaline show the behavioral syndrome which has been previously reported following injections of hallucinogens in higher mammals: limb flicks and whole body shakes. Although these behaviors are not elicited by acute injections of amphetamine, they are present in rats which have been pretreated for 108 h with a slow-release amphetamine pellet, given a 12 h rest period, and then injected with d-amphetamine. Such pellet-pretreated animals also groom their body surface excessively. We propose that this novel syndrome which follows continuous amphetamine administration can serve as an animal model of the type of amphetamine psychosis that is produced by a similar drug regimen in humans.

An electromyographic method for the assessment of naloxone-induced abstinence in morphine-dependent rats.

The electromyographic (EMG) activities of suprahyoideal muscle were recorded to measure naloxone-precipitated abstinence signs in morphine-dependent rats anesthetized with urethane (1 g/kg). Rats were rendered dependent on morphine by implanting 2 morphine pellets (75 mg each) and abstinence signs were induced by intravenous injections of various doses of naloxone at different times after pellet implantation. Three precipitated abstinence signs, a) myoclonic twitch activity (MTA), b) mastication, and c) body shakes were observed on EMG recordings after the injection of naloxone. Of these symptoms, only the MTA induced by naloxone (10 microgram/kg) occurred 4h after pellet implantation and its sensitivity to naloxone increased with prolonged pellet implantation. Both mastication and precipitated shakes could be induced at 24h. However, higher doses of naloxone were required to produce the shakes than is required to induce mastication. There appears to be a positive correlation between the intensity of naloxone-induced MTA and the degree of physical dependence on morphine. Since the MTA and mastication can be induced by low doses of naloxone in morphine-dependent rats, we suggest that these two parameters may be used to detect morphine abstinence signs in this species.

Effectiveness of lofexidine in blocking morphine-withdrawal signs in the rat

Discontinuation of chronic morphine infusion in rats 3esulted in the reliable occurrence of withdrawal body shakes. This sign of narcotic withdrawal was dose-dependently reduced by lofexidine (0.04–0.64 mg/kg) and clonidine (0.01–0.16 mg/kg). As with clonidine, the activity of lofexidine was not prevented by naloxone (5 mg/kg). In addition, diarrhea induced by naloxone (5 mg/kg) in morphine dependent rats was also prevented by lofexidine or clonidine pretreatment. These data suggest that lofexidine, like clonidine, may reduce the narcotic withdrawal syndrome in humans.

Calling display and mating behaviour of Copiphora rhinoceros Pictet (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae)

Substrate-transmitted signals, known from scattered accounts to occur in several species of acoustic Orthoptera, are brought together and briefly reviewed. Males of a neotropical katydid, Copiphora rhinoceros, were found to alternate stereotyped bouts of body vibration (tremulation) with an 8.7-kHz air-borne song. This calling display is remarkable in combining vegetation-conducted transverse waves with stridulation. A complete acoustic analysis accompanies detailed descriptions of three field matings. Females responded to the male's display silently but with similar body shaking. Copulation lasted almost 4 h, and courtship was prolonged by repeated male withdrawals. The male's coyness probably reflects a costly nutritional investment in a single mating: his spermatophore includes a huge bilobed spermatophylax, consumed by the female after copulation.