La prise en charge d’une hypertension artérielle est un enjeu majeur dans certaines situations à risque telles que la pré-éclampsie ou chez les patients avec une pathologie respiratoire pour lesquels la vasoconstriction hypoxique pulmonaire est bénéfique. L’urapidil est un antihypertenseur d’action mixte associant une action antagoniste sur les récepteurs alpha-1 adrénergiques post synaptiques périphériques et une baisse du tonus sympathique par action centrale qui pourrait impliquer à la fois un blocage des récepteurs alpha-1 et une activité agoniste sérotoninergique sur les récepteurs 5HT1A qui limite la survenue d’une tachycardie reflexe. La première étude indique que les récepteurs 5HT1A périphériques ne semblent pas impliqués dans les effets vasculaires périphériques de l’urapidil, qui seraient principalement le résultat du blocage des récepteurs alpha 1 adrénergiques. La deuxième étude montre que l’urapidil préserve la VHP contrairement à la nicardipine et la clévidipine qui l’inhibent. / Urapidil, a vasodilator, is widely used in the treatment of hypertension mostly due to better patient tolerance. Urapidil has a dual action: firstly it works as a selective alpha1- adrenoreceptor antagonist and secondly as an agonist of 5-HT1A receptors in the central nervous system. Thus, the present findings, while confirming that urapidil is a potent inhibitor of alpha 1-adrenoceptor-induced contraction targeting preferentially arteries with an endothelial dysfunction, do not support the role of 5-HT1A receptor activation in the control of the vascular tone in response to urapidil in the three types of blood vessels studied. In conclusion, this trial showed that in our experimental setting, urapidil preserved the hypoxia triggered vasoconstriction in isolated pulmonary vessels. Conversely, both calcium channel inhibitors nicardipine and clevidipine blunted the vasocontrictor reaction to hypoxia. These findings may have important clinical consequences that deserve further evaluation.

The mechanisms underlying the generation of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep are poorly understood. Despite a lack of direct support, neurons maximally active during REM sleep (REM sleep-active) located in the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTn) are hypothesized to generate this state and its component phenomenology. This hypothesis has never been directly tested, since the results of selectively inhibiting this cell-group have never been determined. Using microdialysis, electrophysiology, histochemical and pharmacological methods in freely-behaving rats (n=22) instrumented for sleep-wake state and respiratory muscle recordings, I selectively inhibited REM sleep-active PPTn neurons. Contrary to the prevailing hypothesis, I showed that REM sleep-active PPTn neurons suppress REM sleep by limiting the frequency of its onset. These neurons also shape the impact of REM sleep on breathing. REM sleep-active PPTn neurons restrain behavioural activation of upper-airway musculature during REM sleep, while depressing breathing rate and respiratory activation of the upper-airway musculature across sleep-wake-states.

The mechanisms underlying the generation of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep are poorly understood. Despite a lack of direct support, neurons maximally active during REM sleep (REM sleep-active) located in the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTn) are hypothesized to generate this state and its component phenomenology. This hypothesis has never been directly tested, since the results of selectively inhibiting this cell-group have never been determined. Using microdialysis, electrophysiology, histochemical and pharmacological methods in freely-behaving rats (n=22) instrumented for sleep-wake state and respiratory muscle recordings, I selectively inhibited REM sleep-active PPTn neurons. Contrary to the prevailing hypothesis, I showed that REM sleep-active PPTn neurons suppress REM sleep by limiting the frequency of its onset. These neurons also shape the impact of REM sleep on breathing. REM sleep-active PPTn neurons restrain behavioural activation of upper-airway musculature during REM sleep, while depressing breathing rate and respiratory activation of the upper-airway musculature across sleep-wake-states.

A exposição de roedores ao labirinto em cruz elevado (LCE) aumenta a esquiva aos braços abertos e leva à perda do efeito de fármacos ansiolíticos numa reexposição ao aparelho, um fenômeno conhecido como one-trial tolerance (OTT). Dentre as hipóteses sugeridas para explicar a OTT estão a mudança qualitativa de estado emocional e a habituação da atividade locomotora. O presente estudo investigou os efeitos de exposições sucessivas de camundongos ao LCE sobre os níveis de corticosterona plasmática. Ainda, o estudo empregou injeção sistêmica de diazepam antes do teste e reteste para avaliar se a experiência prévia com o fármaco também poderia influenciar o comportamento numa reexposição. Com base em evidências sugestivas do envolvimento de receptores 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A e 5-HT2C da porção dorsal da matéria cinzenta periaquedutal (MCPd) na modulação da ansiedade o presente estudo também examinou os efeitos dos agonistas de receptores 5-HT1A 8-OH DPAT (5,6 e 10 nmol), 5-HT2A/2C DOI (2 e 8 nmol) e 5-HT2C MK-212 (21,2 e 63,6 nmol) sobre o comportamento de camundongos que receberam microinjeções intra-MCPd antes do teste e reteste no LCE. Os resultados com o diazepam mostraram um efeito ansiolítico no teste, mas não no reteste. Os resultados mostraram que a hipótese de habituação do comportamento exploratório é contraposta por aumentos nos níveis de corticosterona plasmática tanto no teste como no reteste. Além disso, 8-OH-DPAT (5,6 e 10 nmol) não produziu efeitos sobre o comportamento de camundongos, enquanto as microinjeções de DOI (8 nmol) produziram um efeito antiaversivo na reexposição somente em animais que receberam o mesmo tratamento intra-MCPd antes do teste. A administração sistêmica de eplivanserina (0,1 mg/Kg), um antagonista de receptores 5-HT2A antes do reteste não foi conclusiva na tentativa de elucidar o subtipo de receptor envolvido no efeito antiaversivo do DOI. Além disso, o tratamento intra-MCPd com MK-212 (63,6 nmol) foi ansiolítico em ambos o teste e reteste. Haja vista que reexposição ao LCE pode eliciar uma emoção diferente daquela desencadeada numa primeira exposição, o agonista DOI intra-MCPd (8 e 16 nmol) foi testado em um modelo de interação presapredador, o teste de exposição ao rato (TER), no qual um resultado sugestivo de efeito próaversivo foi obtido. Esses resultados confirmam a MCPd como uma estrutura crucial na neurobiologia da OTT, além de demonstrarem a participação de receptores 5-HT2A e 5-HT2C dessa estrutura mesencefálica no estado emocional induzido pela exposição e reexposição de camundongos ao LCE. / A single exposure to the elevated plus-maze test (EPM) increases open arms avoidance and reduces or abolishes the anxiolytic-like effect of benzodiazepines assessed during a second trial, a phenomenon defined as \"one trial tolerance\" (OTT). Among other hypothesis, the OTT is considered to be due to a qualitative shift in the emotional state across the test-retest sessions or a locomotor habituation. The present study investigated the corticosterone levels in mice successively exposed to the EPM. The study also investigated whether the drug experience with diazepam prior to test and retest could also change the anxiety-like behaviour on a second trial. Given that intra-dPAG injections of a wide range of serotonergic 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptor agonists produce anxiolytic-like effects in rodents, the present study examined the effects of the 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT (5.6 and 10 nmol) the preferential 5-HT2A receptor agonist DOI (2 and 8) and the preferential 5-HT2C receptor agonist MK-212 (21.2 and 63.6 nmol) microinjected into the dPAG prior to Trial 1 and Trial 2 on the behaviour of mice in the EPM. The results showed that diazepam provoked an anxiolytic-like effect on trial 1 but a lack of effect on trial 2. The locomotor habituation hypothesis is contradicted by present results showing an enhanced level of plasmatic corticosterone on both test and retest. Furthermore, the results showed a lack of 8-OH-DPAT (5.6 and 10 nmol) effect on the behaviour of maze-naïve and maze-experienced mice, while intra-dPAG microinfusions of DOI (8 nmol) reduced anxiety-like behaviour only in maze-experienced mice that had received a similar treatment prior to Trial 1. The systemic treatment with the 5-HT2A antagonist eplivanserin (0.1mg/kg) prior to trial 2 was not conclusive to elucidate the 5-HT subtype receptor involved in the antiaversive effect of DOI. Moreover, intra-dPAG MK-212 (63.6nmol) showed an anxiolytic-like effect on both Trial 1 and Trial 2. As the trial 2 may induce a different emotional state, intra-PAG infusions of DOI (8 and 16 nmol) were performed in a prey-predator interaction model, the rat exposure test (RET), which resulted in a suggestive proaversive effect. Overall the results support the dPAG as a crucial structure involved in the neurobiology of the OTT phenomenon as well as accounting the role of the 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors located within this midbrain structure on the emotional state induced by EPM test and retest paradigm in mice.

A exposição de roedores ao labirinto em cruz elevado (LCE) aumenta a esquiva aos braços abertos e leva à perda do efeito de fármacos ansiolíticos numa reexposição ao aparelho, um fenômeno conhecido como one-trial tolerance (OTT). Dentre as hipóteses sugeridas para explicar a OTT estão a mudança qualitativa de estado emocional e a habituação da atividade locomotora. O presente estudo investigou os efeitos de exposições sucessivas de camundongos ao LCE sobre os níveis de corticosterona plasmática. Ainda, o estudo empregou injeção sistêmica de diazepam antes do teste e reteste para avaliar se a experiência prévia com o fármaco também poderia influenciar o comportamento numa reexposição. Com base em evidências sugestivas do envolvimento de receptores 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A e 5-HT2C da porção dorsal da matéria cinzenta periaquedutal (MCPd) na modulação da ansiedade o presente estudo também examinou os efeitos dos agonistas de receptores 5-HT1A 8-OH DPAT (5,6 e 10 nmol), 5-HT2A/2C DOI (2 e 8 nmol) e 5-HT2C MK-212 (21,2 e 63,6 nmol) sobre o comportamento de camundongos que receberam microinjeções intra-MCPd antes do teste e reteste no LCE. Os resultados com o diazepam mostraram um efeito ansiolítico no teste, mas não no reteste. Os resultados mostraram que a hipótese de habituação do comportamento exploratório é contraposta por aumentos nos níveis de corticosterona plasmática tanto no teste como no reteste. Além disso, 8-OH-DPAT (5,6 e 10 nmol) não produziu efeitos sobre o comportamento de camundongos, enquanto as microinjeções de DOI (8 nmol) produziram um efeito antiaversivo na reexposição somente em animais que receberam o mesmo tratamento intra-MCPd antes do teste. A administração sistêmica de eplivanserina (0,1 mg/Kg), um antagonista de receptores 5-HT2A antes do reteste não foi conclusiva na tentativa de elucidar o subtipo de receptor envolvido no efeito antiaversivo do DOI. Além disso, o tratamento intra-MCPd com MK-212 (63,6 nmol) foi ansiolítico em ambos o teste e reteste. Haja vista que reexposição ao LCE pode eliciar uma emoção diferente daquela desencadeada numa primeira exposição, o agonista DOI intra-MCPd (8 e 16 nmol) foi testado em um modelo de interação presapredador, o teste de exposição ao rato (TER), no qual um resultado sugestivo de efeito próaversivo foi obtido. Esses resultados confirmam a MCPd como uma estrutura crucial na neurobiologia da OTT, além de demonstrarem a participação de receptores 5-HT2A e 5-HT2C dessa estrutura mesencefálica no estado emocional induzido pela exposição e reexposição de camundongos ao LCE. / A single exposure to the elevated plus-maze test (EPM) increases open arms avoidance and reduces or abolishes the anxiolytic-like effect of benzodiazepines assessed during a second trial, a phenomenon defined as \"one trial tolerance\" (OTT). Among other hypothesis, the OTT is considered to be due to a qualitative shift in the emotional state across the test-retest sessions or a locomotor habituation. The present study investigated the corticosterone levels in mice successively exposed to the EPM. The study also investigated whether the drug experience with diazepam prior to test and retest could also change the anxiety-like behaviour on a second trial. Given that intra-dPAG injections of a wide range of serotonergic 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptor agonists produce anxiolytic-like effects in rodents, the present study examined the effects of the 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT (5.6 and 10 nmol) the preferential 5-HT2A receptor agonist DOI (2 and 8) and the preferential 5-HT2C receptor agonist MK-212 (21.2 and 63.6 nmol) microinjected into the dPAG prior to Trial 1 and Trial 2 on the behaviour of mice in the EPM. The results showed that diazepam provoked an anxiolytic-like effect on trial 1 but a lack of effect on trial 2. The locomotor habituation hypothesis is contradicted by present results showing an enhanced level of plasmatic corticosterone on both test and retest. Furthermore, the results showed a lack of 8-OH-DPAT (5.6 and 10 nmol) effect on the behaviour of maze-naïve and maze-experienced mice, while intra-dPAG microinfusions of DOI (8 nmol) reduced anxiety-like behaviour only in maze-experienced mice that had received a similar treatment prior to Trial 1. The systemic treatment with the 5-HT2A antagonist eplivanserin (0.1mg/kg) prior to trial 2 was not conclusive to elucidate the 5-HT subtype receptor involved in the antiaversive effect of DOI. Moreover, intra-dPAG MK-212 (63.6nmol) showed an anxiolytic-like effect on both Trial 1 and Trial 2. As the trial 2 may induce a different emotional state, intra-PAG infusions of DOI (8 and 16 nmol) were performed in a prey-predator interaction model, the rat exposure test (RET), which resulted in a suggestive proaversive effect. Overall the results support the dPAG as a crucial structure involved in the neurobiology of the OTT phenomenon as well as accounting the role of the 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors located within this midbrain structure on the emotional state induced by EPM test and retest paradigm in mice.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a mood disorder majorly responsible for disability and mortality worldwide. With a lifetime prevalence of 15-20%, it is the main cause of functional impairment in Western societies as well as the fourth most debilitating illness in the world. Although the pathophysiology of MDD is not yet fully understood, some evidence that suggest the presence of a neuroanatomical deficiency have given rise to the theory of a specific imbalance in the monoamine neurotransmitters noradrenaline (NA) and/or serotonin (5-HT) levels in the brain. Overall, the various classes of antidepressant agents that have been developed to increase monoamine levels on the basis of this proposal have been successful. However, facts relating to prevalent escalation in the illness and recurring episodes of depression point towards a need to enhance clinical treatment. Most conventional antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and selective serotonin and noradrenaline inhibitors (SNRI) pose problems in symptomatic improvement. These include therapeutic lag, safety and tolerability issues, making more than 30% patients with MDD unable to reach adequate relief. In this respect, the action mechanism has moved beyond conventional SSRI and lead to the introduction of vilazodone, a novel antidepressant with an additional 5-HT1A partial agonist profile argued to be of potential benefit for a greater efficacy, faster onset of action and better tolerability. Using secondary data, this project aimed to evaluate the role of vilazodone as a SPARI-drug in the overall clinical treatment of MDD as well as its potential in addressing some of the most common obstacles in antidepressant treatment. Study results proved vilazodone’s efficacy to be superior to placebo. Patients across all studies showed significant improvement in depressive symptoms measured in MADRS and HAMD17. Vilazodone was also shown to be generally safe and tolerable but was not positively distinguished from placebo with regards to adverse effects. An overall, meaningful improvement in depressive symptoms was demonstrated in vilazodone, which reinforces its merit as an important treatment option for patients with MDD.

Numerous studies have focused on identifying novel probiotic-based treatment options for immune homeostasis maintenance and favorable modulation of the gut microbiota which acts as a key regulator of the gut-brain axis. Recently, probiotics interventions are gaining interest as effective approaches to treat neuropsychiatric disorders through the gut-brain axis. However, there is limiting knowledge about probiotics' effects during puberty on the developing brain and immune responses. Probiotic intake could offer a strategy to counteract the immune, microbial and behavioral disturbances induced by inflammatory LPS. Thus, we hypothesized that the intake of a novel probiotic bacterium Rouxiella badensis subsp. acadiensis would modulate the immune response and that pubertal administration could mitigate LPS- induced inflammation and prevent enduring behavioral changes later in life. We investigated the interaction of the probiotic with the intestinal mucosa and its ability of modulating the gut mucosal immunity (Article 1). Next, we examined the ability of pubertal treatment with R. badensis subsp. acadiensis to alleviate LPS-induced anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors in adult male and female mice and to affect the expression of 5HT1A receptors in specific brain areas of adult mice (Article 2). We finally studied the ability of R. badensis subsp. acadiensis treatment during puberty to mitigate the effects of LPS on the immune system and on the gut microbiome composition (Article 3). These studies have demonstrated the ability of R. badensis subsp. acadiensis to survive the gastrointestinal conditions, interact with the gut epithelium and modulate the intestinal homeostasis. Pubertal use of the bacterium was associated with sex-specific effects on the acute immune response, microbiome structure, enduring neurobehavioral outcomes and the expression of 5HT1A receptors in specific brain areas, later in life. This dissertation emphasizes on the importance of puberty as a window of opportunities during which probiotic use can alleviate the long-term neural, behavioral, immunological and microbiome alterations induced by stress.