l-DOPA-induced air-stepping in developing rats

Hartesveldt, Carol Van; Sickles, Anne E.; Porter, Jennifer D.; Stehouwer, Donald J.

doi:10.1016/0165-3806(91)90012-8

Cited by 59 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 17 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Spinalized in vitro preparations have demonstrated that this DAR signaling acts at the level of the spinal cord (McEwen et al, 1997). This early DAR-dependent signaling in the spinal cord may play a developmental role, since L-dopa-induced air-stepping develops from being bipedal, at PN0, to quadrupedal, by PN5 (Van Hartesveldt et al, 1991). In disease states, for example, hypoxic-ischemic injury to the developing brain, dopaminergic cell populations are at risk and may contribute to the impaired motor development following these injuries (Bax et al, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Conserved Dopaminergic Diencephalospinal Tract Mediates Vertebrate Locomotor Development in Zebrafish Larvae

Lambert

Bonkowsky

Masino³

2012

J. Neurosci.

137

176

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The most conserved part of the vertebrate dopaminergic system is the orthopedia (otp)-expressing diencephalic neuronal population that constitutes the dopaminergic diencephalospinal tract (DDT). While studies in the neonatal murine spinal cord in vitro suggest an early locomotor role of the DDT, the function of the DDT in developing vertebrates in vivo remains unknown. Here, we investigated the role of the DDT in the locomotor development of zebrafish larvae. To assess the development of the behavioral and neural locomotor pattern, we employed high-throughput video-tracking in combination with peripheral nerve recordings. We found a behavioral and neural correspondence in the developmental switch from an immature to mature locomotor pattern. Blocking endogenous dopamine receptor 4 (D4R) signaling in vivo either before or after the developmental switch prevented or reversed the switch, respectively. Spinal transections of post-switch larvae reestablished the immature locomotor pattern, which was rescued to a mature-like pattern via spinal D4R agonism. Selective chemogenetic ablation of otp b (otpb) neurons that contribute to the DDT perpetuated the immature locomotor pattern in vivo. This phenotype was recapitulated by diencephalic transections that removed the dopaminergic otpb population and which were rescued to a mature-like locomotor pattern by D4R agonism. We conclude that the dopaminergic otpb population, via the DDT, is responsible for spinal D4R signaling to mediate the developmental switch to the mature locomotor pattern of zebrafish. These results, integrated with the mammalian literature, suggest that the DDT represents an evolutionarily conserved neuromodulatory system that is necessary for normal vertebrate locomotor development.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Conserved Dopaminergic Diencephalospinal Tract Mediates Vertebrate Locomotor Development in Zebrafish Larvae

Lambert

Bonkowsky

Masino³

2012

J. Neurosci.

137

176

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Given the gradual development of locomotor and postural behavior, researchers have established the air-stepping paradigm to permit the study of early locomotor development in vivo [10, 11, 12]. The air-stepping paradigm is a useful model for studying the early development of locomotion because it alleviates the gravitational and postural constraints of terrestrial locomotion.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This procedure involves suspending the immature animal in a sling, so it can exhibit locomotor limb activity without the necessity of counteracting gravity. Previous studies in our lab, as well as others, have shown that sustained periods of air-stepping (defined as the limbs moving in a locomotor-like pattern while the animal is suspended off the floor) can be induced in the neonatal rat by activating the serotonin or dopamine systems [10, 11, 12]. Additionally, air-stepping has been evoked using olfactory stimuli (i.e., bedding material) [13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Serotonergic activation of locomotor behavior and posture in one-day old rats

Swann

Kempe

Orden

et al. 2016

Behavioural Brain Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The purpose of this study was to determine what dose of quipazine, a serotonergic agonist, facilitates air-stepping and induces postural control and patterns of locomotion in newborn rats. Subjects in both experiments were 1-day-old rat pups. In Experiment 1, pups were restrained and tested for air-stepping in a 35-min test session. Immediately following a 5-min baseline, pups were treated with quipazine (1.0, 3.0, or 10.0 mg/kg) or saline (vehicle control), administered intraperitoneally in a 50 microliter injection. Bilateral alternating stepping occurred most frequently following treatment with 10.0 mg/kg quipazine, however the percentage of alternating steps, interlimb phase, and step period were very similar between the 3.0 and 10.0 mg/kg doses. For interlimb phase, the forelimbs and hindlimbs maintained a near perfect anti-phase pattern of coordination, with step period averaging about 1 second. In Experiment 2, pups were treated with 3.0 or 10.0 mg/kg quipazine or saline, and then were placed on a surface (open field, unrestrained). Both doses of quipazine resulted in developmentally advanced postural control and locomotor patterns, including head elevation, postural stances, pivoting, crawling, and a few instances of quadrupedal walking. The 3.0 mg/kg dose of quipazine was the most effective at evoking sustained locomotion. Between the 2 experiments, behavior exhibited by the rat pup varied based on testing environment, emphasizing the role that environment and sensory cues exert over motor behavior. Overall, quipazine administered at a dose of 3.0 mg/kg was highly effective at promoting alternating limb coordination and inducing locomotor activity in both testing environments.

show abstract

“…A substrate then was placed beneath their limbs so that the feet could make plantar surface contact with a substrate, providing both cutaneous and altered proprioceptive feedback to the limbs. This kind of sensory stimulation is typical during normal bouts of weight bearing walking in older animals, but not during experimentally-induced air-stepping behavior in immature subjects [31,55]. Thus, rats were held in the sling in order to examine sensory effects on stepping under non-weight bearing conditions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sensory feedback modulates quipazine-induced stepping behavior in the newborn rat

Brumley

Roberto

Strain

2012

Behavioural Brain Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Research has shown that sensory feedback modulates locomotor behavior in intact as well as spinal adult animals. Here we examined if locomotor activity (“stepping”) in newborn rats is influenced by cutaneous and proprioceptive feedback. One-day-old rats were treated with the serotonergic receptor agonist quipazine (3.0 mg/kg) to induce air-stepping behavior or with saline (vehicle control). During stepping, a substrate/floor (elastic, stiff, or none) was placed beneath their limbs so that the feet could make plantar surface contact with a substrate. Pups treated with quipazine showed significantly more alternated fore- and hindlimb steps and plantar paw contact with the substrate, compared to pups treated with saline. Pups also made proportionately less contact with the stiff substrate versus the elastic substrate during stepping. Different types of movements made on the substrate (paw pushes, taps, swipes, and stances) were also characterized. These results indicate that sensory feedback modulates locomotor mechanisms and behavior in perinatal rats.

show abstract

l-DOPA-induced air-stepping in developing rats

Cited by 59 publications

References 17 publications

The Conserved Dopaminergic Diencephalospinal Tract Mediates Vertebrate Locomotor Development in Zebrafish Larvae

The Conserved Dopaminergic Diencephalospinal Tract Mediates Vertebrate Locomotor Development in Zebrafish Larvae

Serotonergic activation of locomotor behavior and posture in one-day old rats

Sensory feedback modulates quipazine-induced stepping behavior in the newborn rat

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About