In Drosophila, neuropeptides have regulatory roles in development, growth, metabolism and reproduction. This study focused on GABA and the neuropeptides Drosophila tachykinin (DTK), short neuropeptide F (sNPF), adipokinetic hormone (AKH), corazonin (CRZ) and Drosophila insulin-like peptides (DILPs) as possible regulators of metabolic stress responses and homeostasis. We showed that metabotropic GABAB receptors (GBRs) are expressed on brain insulin producing cells (IPCs), suggesting an inhibitory regulation of these cells by GABA. Knockdown of GBR on IPCs shortened lifespan and stress resistance, altered carbohydrate and lipid metabolism at stress (paper I). We showed that three different neuropeptides; DTK, sNPF and ITP, are co-expressed in five pairs of adult neurosecretory cells (paper II). ITP-knock down was not studied yet, but sNPF- and DTK-knock down flies showed decreased stress resistance at desiccation and starvation and decreased water levels at desiccation, suggesting that these peptides are involved in water homeostasis during stress conditions. sNPF was previously shown to affect feeding, growth and DILP expression via the IPCs, but it was not known which sNPF-expressing neurons are responsible for these actions. We could identify a specific set of bilateral neurons (DLPs) that co-express sNPF and corazonin that target the IPCs. We showed that these peptides co-released from DLPs regulate DILP transcription and probably release in the adult Drosophila brain and thus have roles in regulation of stress resistance and metabolism (paper III). AKH signaling was previously shown to affect hemolymph carbohydrate levels and lipid stores in Drosophila. Insulin (DILP) signaling and AKH signaling are suggested to have opposing effects on lipid and sugar metabolism in Drosophila. We studied the possible functional relationship between these two systems; do they mutually regulate each other?  Our results suggest action of DILPs via the Insulin Receptor on the IPCs and the AKH producing cells, but we could not provide evidence for AKH action on IPCs or AKH cells (paper IV). / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 3: Epub ahead of print. Paper 4: Manuscript.</p>

Behavioral responses to social odors in Syrian hamsters are regulated by brain structures including the medial amygdala (Me) and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). The role of these areas in regulating social behaviors has been previously studied in detail. However, the chemical phenotypes of neurons in these areas have not been well defined. Based on previous literature, we hypothesize that there is an increase in Me GABAergic signaling in response to social odors in male hamsters. To test this, we quantified colocalization of Calbindin and Fos in the Me of male hamsters after odor exposure. There were no significant differences in the percentage of Fos+ cells that were CB+ between odor conditions, but the percentage of CB+ cells that were Fos+ was higher in subjects exposed to conspecific odors versus clean odors. This implies that CB+ neurons transmit social information in the Me of male hamsters.

Activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) has pronounced effects on GABAergic interneurons, including depolarization of their resting membrane potential, and increasing their action potential and vesicular release frequency. Moreover, postsynaptic mAChR activation in hippocampal pyramidal neurons reduces the expression of the K+-Cl- cotransporter (KCC2). However, whether mAChR activation modulates the expression of disinhibition-mediated synaptic plasticity has not been examined. I induced inhibitory long-term potentiation (LTP) by applying coincident pre/postsynaptic stimulation in the hippocampus. This plasticity was characterized by an increase in the postsynaptic potential (PSP) amplitude and a depolarization in the inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP) reversal potential; characteristics of disinhibition-mediated LTP (dmLTP). Activation of mAChRs during this plasticity induction protocol prevented the expression of dmLTP via a presynaptic downregulation of transmitter release. This was concluded from evidence that the PSP amplitude and IPSP reversal potential were unaltered, and paired-pulse depression occurred following plasticity induction in the presence of mAChR activation.

Background: The progesterone metabolite allopregnanolone is involved in several clinical conditions in women, e.g. premenstrual dysphoric disorder. It is a very potent GABA-steroid with GABA-A receptor effects similar to other GABA-agonists, e.g. benzodiazepines, and it causes sedation. An objective way to examine effects on the GABA-A receptor in humans is to measure saccadic eye velocity (SEV), which is reduced by GABA-agonists, e.g. allopregnanolone. Animal studies suggest that allopregnanolone is involved in the regulation of gonadotropin secretion via the GABA-A receptor, but this has not been studied in humans. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disturbance among women of fertile age (5–10%), characterized by polycystic ovaries, menstrual dysfunction, hyperandrogenity, and 50% have obesity. Studies have shown higher allopregnanolone levels in overweight people. PCOS women have increased levels of androstanediol, an androgen metabolite which is an GABA-A receptor agonist. Tolerance often occurs when persons are exposed to high levels of GABAergic modulators. It has not been studied whether GABA-A receptor sensitivity in PCOS women is changed. Another progesterone metabolite, isoallopregnanolone, is the stereoisomere of allopregnanolone but has not been shown to have any GABA-A receptor effect of its own. Instead it has often been used to control steroid specificity to allopregnanolone. Aims: To compare the effects of allopregnanolone and isoallopregnanolone on gonadotropin secretion. To compare allopregnanolone levels, GABA-A receptor sensitivity to allopregnanolone and effects on gonadotropin secretion in both cycle phases and PCOS conditions. To examine pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic properties for isoallopregnanolone. Method: In the follicular phase healthy women were examined for the effect of allopregnanolone or isoallopregnanolone on gonadotropin secretion. PCOS women and healthy women in both cycle phases were given allopregnanolone and the differences in effects on SEV were examined, as well as changes in serum levels of gonadotropins and allopregnanolone at baseline and during the test day. Pharmacokinetics and GABA-A receptor sensitivity using SEV were explored for isoallopregnanolone in healthy women. Results: Allopregnanolone decreases gonadotropin serum levels in healthy controls in both cycle phases, but has no effect on gonadotropin secretion in women with PCOS. PCOS women have higher baseline serum levels of allopregnanolone than follicular phase controls, but lower levels than luteal phase controls. PCOS women show greater reduction in SEV to allopregnanolone than controls. Isoallopregnanolone has no effect on gonadotropin secretion. There is an effect of isoallopregnanolone on SEV, explained by a metabolism of isoallopregnanolone into allopregnanolone. Conclusion: There are significant differences in the GABA-A receptor response to a GABA-steroid in different endocrine conditions in women of fertile age examined with saccadic eye velocity. The GABA-steroid allopregnanolone decreases gonadotropin serum levels in healthy women but not in PCOS women. The lack of effect on gonadotropins by isoallopregnanolone suggests an involvement of the GABA-A receptor.

The experiments reported in this thesis studied the mechanisms of expression of overexpectation of conditioned fear, as measured by freezing. In Stage I, rats were conditioned to fear a tone and a flashing light conditioned stimulus (CS) through pairings with a 0.5 mA, 1 s shock. In Stage II, overexpectation was trained by the reinforcement of a compound of these CSs with a shock of the same magnitude. Two compound ?? shock pairings produced an overexpectation effect, as measured by freezing to presentations of the tone alone, while further Stage II training caused over-training of overexpectation. Expression of the overexpectation effect produced by two compound ?? shock pairings could be prevented by pre-test injection of the benzodiazepine partial inverse agonist FG7142. This effect was dose-dependent and not due to state-dependent memory. Control experiments suggested that it was also not due to any general effect of FG7142 on the Pavlovian freezing response. Freezing to a tone that had been conditioned, but not subjected to any decremental training procedures, was unaffected by administration of FG7142 before either the conditioning or test session. FG7142 also did not affect freezing to a tone that had been subjected to an associative blocking procedure. The hypothesis that overexpectation of conditioned fear may be context-dependent was also tested. However, renewal was not observed. Rats that received Stage II training in a context distinct from the Stage I training context showed equivalent expression of overexpectation regardless of whether testing was conducted in the Stage I or Stage II training context. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that overexpectation, like extinction, leads to the imposition of a GABAA receptor-mediated mask on the fear CR. Moreover, they suggest that this masking of fear is the specific consequence of negative predictive error.

Bibliography: leaves 181-233. / 233 p. : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Investigates pharmacological control of transient lower oesophagal sphincter relaxations as a treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux. Two major classes of pharmaceutical agents were explored; anticholinergic agents and the GABAb agonist, baclofen. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Medicine, 1999

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of Toledo, 2007. / "In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Sciences." Title from title page of PDF document. Bibliography: p. 70-78, p. 93, p. 132-140, p. 164-168, p. 194-221.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 59-64).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Tufts University, 2003. / Advisers: Klaus Miczek; Joe DeBold. Submitted to the Dept. of Psychology. In title, GABAA is spelled GABA with a subscript A. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-183). Access restricted to members of the Tufts University community. Also available via the World Wide Web;

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Dept. of Pharmacology, University of Sydney, 1999. / Title from title screen. Interactive three dimensional molecular data and multiple colour images. Text presented in Hypertext Markup Language (.htm); images in standard formats (.jpg, .gif); molecules presented mostly as Cambridge Protein Data Bank format (.pdb); some molecules presented in alternative X. Mol cartesian co-ordinates format (.xyz); search facility in PERL script. Includes bibliographical references. A printed form was produced with limited features as a Faculty requirement; may also be issued in CD-ROM.