Effects of l-DOPA on aggressive behavior and central monoaminergic activity in the lizard Anolis carolinensis, using a new method for drug delivery

Höglund, Erik; Korzan, Wayne J.; Watt, Michael J.; Forster, Gina L.; Summers, Tangi R.; Johannessen, Helga Falch; Renner, Kenneth J.; Summers, Cliff H.

doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2004.05.009

Cited by 29 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…The details of this assay have been published elsewhere [33]. Briefly, 70 μl plasma, 20 μl 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHBA, internal standard) and 1 ml 1.86M Tris buffer (pH 8.65) were added to 50 mg of acid-washed aluminum oxide and samples rotated for 10 min.…”

Section: Plasma Catecholamine Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

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Rapid neuroendocrine responses evoked at the onset of social challenge

Watt

Forster

Korzan

et al. 2007

Physiology & Behavior

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At the onset of agonistic social challenge, individuals must assess the degree of threat the opponent represents in order to react appropriately. We aimed to characterize the neuroendocrine changes accompanying this period of initial social assessment using the lizard Anolis carolinensis. Conveyance of aggressive intent by male A. carolinensis is facilitated by rapid post-orbital skin darkening (eyespot), whereas eyespot presence inhibits opponent aggression. By manipulating this visual signal, we also investigated whether differing neuroendocrine changes were evoked by initial presentation of varying levels of social threat. Subjects were painted postorbitally either with black paint (high threat level), green paint (low threat level) or water (controls). Painted animals were presented with a mirror and sampled immediately upon exhibiting aggressive intent towards the reflected simulated opponent, but before producing behaviors such as motor pattern-based displays. Control animals (blank surface presented) were sampled at times derived from averaging response times of painted subjects. Brains and plasma were analyzed for monoamine activity and catecholamine levels using electrochemical HPLC. Social threat evoked increases in plasma catecholamine levels indistinguishable from those caused by brief environmental disturbance. However, brief social challenge caused distinct rapid increases in amygdala and nucleus accumbens (NAc) dopamine and serotonin levels. Amygdalar changes were associated with general social threat presence, but NAc monoamines were affected by both threat level and subject motivation to engage in confrontation. This suggests that specific rapid activity changes in key forebrain limbic nuclei differ according to the degree of social threat perceived at the start of the interaction.

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Section: Plasma Catecholamine Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Details of this assay have also been published elsewhere [26,33]. Brains were sliced in situ at −12°C in 300 μm coronal sections and thaw-mounted on glass slides and refrozen for microdissection.…”

Section: Measurement Of Accumbal and Amygdalar Monoaminesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid neuroendocrine responses evoked at the onset of social challenge

Watt

Forster

Korzan

et al. 2007

Physiology & Behavior

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“…Previous work suggests that the presence of eyespots, whether artificially or naturally obtained, effectively influences agonistic behavior, social status, plasma catecholamine and central monoamine activity in male A. carolinensis (Figs. 1A, B, C [30,54,64], eyespot formation could provide a remote indicator of internal neuroendocrine condition representative of putative aggressive intent and social status [27,34,[68][69][70][71] and thereby reduce the amount of physical aggressive interaction [37][38][39] needed to determine initial social hierarchy.…”

Section: Agonistic Behavior and Social Status Response To A Second Somentioning

confidence: 99%

“…More recent work has reported that the latency to eyespot formation is tightly correlated with and a strong indicator with dominant status [27,34,41,70,71]. In addition, recent work manipulating the expression (presence or absence) of the eyespot signal results in a profound effect on aggressive behavior and plasma catecholamines in lizards interacting with a real opponent [33,35,40] or a mirror image [37][38][39].…”

Section: Catecholamine Response To a Second Social Interactionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Memory of opponents is more potent than visual sign stimuli after social hierarchy has been established

Korzan

Höglund²,

Watt

et al. 2007

Behavioural Brain Research

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During agonistic interactions between male Anolis carolinensis, perception of a visual sign stimulus (darkened eyespots) not only inhibits aggression and promotes initial attainment of dominant social status, but also evokes distinct neuroendocrine responses in each opponent. This study was designed to examine the effect of eyespot manipulation on behavior and social rank during a second interaction between opponents that had previously established a natural dyadic social hierarchy. Prior to a second interaction, eyespots of familiar size-matched combatants were manipulated to reverse information conveyed by this visual signal. Eyespots on the previously dominant male were masked with green paint to indicate low aggression and social status. Previously subordinate males had their eyespots permanently marked with black paint to convey high aggression and status. Opponents were then repaired for a second 10 min interaction following either one or three days of separation. Aggression was generally decreased and social status between pairs remained reasonably consistent. Unlike rapidly activated monoaminergic activity that occurs following the initial pairing, most brain areas sampled were not affected when animals were re-introduced, regardless of visual signal reversal or length of separation between interactions. However in males with "normal" eyespot color, dominant males had reduced serotonergic activity in CA 3 and raphé, while subordinate males exhibited elevated CA 3 dopaminergic activity. Reversing eyespot color also reversed serotonergic activity in raphé and dopaminergic activity in CA 3 after three days of separation. The results suggest that males remember previous opponents, and respond appropriately to their previous social rank in spite of eyespot color.

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“…Several studies support an association between the dopaminergic system and aggression (Ferrari et al 2003;Retz et al 2003;Hoglund et al 2005). Most animal models of self-injury suggest dysregulation of dopamine activity or dopamine receptor hypersensitivity as etiological factors (Rothenberger 1993).…”

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confidence: 99%

Psychopharmacology of Aggression in Children and Adolescents with Autism: A Critical Review of Efficacy and Tolerability

Parikh

Kolevzon

Hollander

2008

Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology

102

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Background:Autism is characterized by a clinical triad of symptoms that affect social, language, and behavioral domains. Aggression and self-injury may be associated symptoms of autism and can result in significant harm to those affected as well as marked distress for their families. The precise nature of the relationship between aggressive or self-injurious behavior (SIB) and autism remains unclear and as a result, these symptoms are treated with a broad range of pharmacological approaches. This review seeks to systematically and critically examine the evidence for the pharmacological management of aggression and SIB in children with autism spectrum disorders.Method: The entire PubMed database was searched for English language biomedical articles on clinical trials with medication in autism spectrum disorders. Studies were selected based on the following inclusion criteria: (1) randomized placebo-controlled trials; (2) a sample population that included children and adolescents; (3) at least one standardized assessment of aggression as a primary outcome measure of the study.Results: Twenty one trials with 12 medications were identified. Five medications produced significant improvement as compared to placebo, including tianeptine, methylphenidate, risperidone, clonidine, and naltrexone. Only risperidone and methylphenidate demonstrate results that have been replicated across at least two studies.Conclusions: Although many medications have been studied under placebo-controlled conditions, few produce significant improvement. Additional placebo-controlled trials are needed to increase the number of therapeutic options available in the treatment of aggression in autism.

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Effects of l-DOPA on aggressive behavior and central monoaminergic activity in the lizard Anolis carolinensis, using a new method for drug delivery

Cited by 29 publications

References 59 publications

Rapid neuroendocrine responses evoked at the onset of social challenge

Rapid neuroendocrine responses evoked at the onset of social challenge

Memory of opponents is more potent than visual sign stimuli after social hierarchy has been established

Psychopharmacology of Aggression in Children and Adolescents with Autism: A Critical Review of Efficacy and Tolerability

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