Inhibition of NO Synthase Activity in Nervous Tissue
Leads to Decreased Motor Activity in the Rat
L. Halčák, 1O. Pecháňová, Z. Žigová, 1L. Klemová, 2M.
Novacký, 1I. Bernátová
Department of Medical Chemistry, Biochemistry and
Clinical Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Comenius University, 1Institute of
Normal and Pathological Physiology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 2Department of
Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava,
Slovak Republic
Received July 30, 1999
Accepted September 21, 1999
Summary
The nitric oxide/cGMP system has been shown to play a crucial role in the mechanism of
learning and memory. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the
inhibition of NO synthase in brain regions leads to alterations of spontaneous behavior in
rats. Male Wistar rats were treated with NO synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine
methyl ester (L-NAME) at the dose of 40 mg/kg/day. After 4 weeks of L-NAME treatment, NO synthase activity was significantly decreased by 75 % in the cerebellum, by 71 % in the
cerebral cortex and by 72 % in the thoracic spinal cord. Decreased NO synthase activity in
the nervous tissue was associated with decreased motor horizontal and vertical activities
as well as by lowered frequency of sniffing, cleaning and defecation. It is concluded that
the inhibition of NO synthase activity has a suppressive effect on spontaneous behavior of
rats.
Key words
Nitric oxide · L-NAME · Nervous tissue · Spontaneous behavior · Habituation tasks
Reprint requests
Doc. Ing. Lukáč Halčák, Ph.D., Department of Medical Chemistry, Biochemistry and
Clinical Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Comenius University, 813 71 Bratislava, Slovak
Republic.
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