Orientador: Rita Cássia Menegati Dornelles / Banca: Edilson Ervolino / Banca: Vilma Clemi Colli / Resumo: Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar e comparar a ação da ocitocina (OT) no metabolismo ósseo de ratas Wistar cíclicas (12 meses) e acíclicas (18 meses/período de periestropausa). Os animais foram distribuídos em quatro grupos: (1) animais com 12 meses que receberam injeção com veículo NaCl (Veh/12); (2) animais com 12 meses que receberam injeção de OT (Ot / 12); (3) animais com 18 meses que receberam injeção com veículo NaCl (Veh/18); (4) animais com 18 meses que receberam injeção de OT (Ot / 18). Cada grupo foi composto por 8 animais. Os animais receberam duas injeções intraperitoneais de NaCl (0,15 M - grupo controle) ou OT (134 ug / kg - grupo tratado) com 12 horas de intervalo. Força, microarquitetura e biomarcadores ósseos [fosfatase alcalina (FAL) e fosfatase ácida resistente ao tartarato (TRAP)] foram analisados. Imunoistoquímica foi realizada para fator de transcrição relacionado com o Runt 2 (RUNX2), osterix (OSX), osteocalcina (OCN), osteopontina (OPN), proteína óssea morfogenética 2 e 4 (BMP-2/4), periostina (PER), esclerostina (ESC) e TRAP. Os animais que receberam OT demonstraram melhora significante na dosagem plasmática: aumento na FAL dos animais de 12 meses (p < 0,0001) e 18 meses (p = 0,0138); diminuição na TRAP dos animais de Ot / 12 (p = 0,0465) e Ot / 18 (p = 0,0045). Houve melhora nos parâmetros biomecânicos: força máxima (N) do grupo Ot / 18 (p = 0,0003); rigidez óssea (x103N/mm) do grupo Ot / 12 (p = 0,0223) e Ot / 18 (p = 0,0145); microarquitetura... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This study aimed to analyze and compare the acting of oxytocin (OT) on bone metabolism of cyclic (12 months) and acyclic Wistar rats (18 months/peri-estropause period). Animals were allocated to four groups: (1) animals with 12 months that received vehicle injection NaCl (Veh/12); (2) animals with 12 months that received OT injection (Ot / 12); (3) animals with 18 months that received vehicle (Veh/18) and (4) animals with 18 months that received OT injection (Ot / 18). Eight animals composed each group. The animals received two intraperitoneal injections of NaCl (0.15 M - control group) or OT (134 ug / kg - treated groups) with 12 hours apart. Bone strength, microarchitecture, and biomarkers [alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)] were assessed. Immunohistochemistry was performed for runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osterix (OSX), osteocalcin (OCN), osteopontin (OPN), bone morphogenetic protein 2 and 4 (BMP- 2/4), periostin (PER), sclerostin (ESC) and TRAP. Animals that received OT showed significant improvements at plasma assay: increase in the ALP from the animals with 12 months (p < 0.0001) and 18 months (p = 0.0138); decrease in the TRAP from the Ot / 12 (p = 0.0465) and Ot / 18 (p = 0.0045). There was improvements at biomechanical parameters: maximum load (N) from the Ot / 18 (p = 0.0003); bone stiffness (x103N/mm) from the Ot / 12 (p = 0.0223) and Ot / 18 (p = 0.0145); cortical bone microarchitecture from the Ot / 18 to Ct... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Abstract not available

Syftet är att undersöka hur den behagliga beröringen på ett naturligt och planerat sätt används i förskolan och försöka se var gränsen går för vad som anses accepterat. Samt att studera den behagliga beröringens eventuella effekter på barn och barngrupp.

The shock prod defensive burying test has proven incredibly reliable and instrumental in determining the underpinnings of normal anxiety in rodents. Largely ignored in tests of defensive burying, however, is the capacity for individual animals to display marked variations in active and passive coping behaviors. To unmask the neurobiological correlates of this behavioral differentiation, rats were exposed to a mousetrap that was remotely triggered upon approach to remove the quality of pain. This design invited striking variations in defensive burying behavior levels, in which some rats either buried robustly or showed little to no levels of defensive burying. Furthermore, differences in burying behavior were associated with marked differences in the central expression of arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT). Thus, relative to animals showing no significant levels of defensive burying activity, rats showing sustained elevations in defensive burying expressed higher levels of AVP mRNA and increased numbers of androgen receptor positive cells in the medial amygdala and posterior bed nuclei of the stria terminalis, brain regions that integrate emotional appraisal and sensory information. In contrast, animals showing little to no defensive burying responses expressed relatively higher levels of AVP and OT mRNA within the supraoptic nucleus and subregions of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus responsible for neuroendocrine and autonomic function. CRH mRNA levels did not vary as a function of burying activity in the central nucleus of the amygdala, the anterior division of the bed nuclei of the stria terminalis, nor in the paraventricular nucleus. These findings suggest a role for central AVP and OT in mediating differential defensive behaviors, and demonstrate the utility of using a pain free test of conditioned defensive burying as a framework for exploring individual differences in behavioral coping and neuroendocrine capacity.

The hormone relaxin regulates the release of the magnocellular hormones, oxytocin and vasopressin, from the central nervous system. Studies have yet to determine whether relaxin regulates magnocellular hormone release through the circumventricular organs alone, or whether relaxin can act on the brain regions containing the magnocellular neurons as well. The paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus was isolated from other brain regions and maintained in vitro, in order evaluate the effects of the relaxin and relaxin-3 on the somatodendritic release of oxytocin and vasopressin. At 50 nM concentrations, relaxin induced oxytocin release, while relaxin-3 inhibited oxytocin release. Neither relaxin nor relaxin-3 had an effect on the vasopressin release, however the RXFP3 specific agonist, R3/I5, induced vasopressin release. The effect of the relaxin peptides on the electrical activity of neurons in the paraventricular nucleus was also evaluated. Relaxin depolarized magnocellular neurons while relaxin-3 hyperpolarized the neurons. Relaxin and relaxin-3 appear to have differential effects on the magnocellular neurons of the paraventricular nucleus.

Taste is detected by cells of taste buds in the oral cavity. Mammalian taste buds contain three types of cells: receptor, presynaptic, and glial-like. Of these three, glial-like cells are the least studied. Their only known function is that they clear neurotransmitters from the extracellular space. The present work describes two previously undocumented properties of glial-like cells. First, Oxytocin receptor (OXTR) mRNA was detected by RT-PCR in taste tissue of mice. In the taste buds of Oxtr-YFP knockin mice, YFP was seen in glial-like taste cells and other cells immediately outside the taste bud, but no other cells in oral epithelium. Oxytocin (OXT) elicited Ca2+ responses from cells that resemble glial-like taste cells (by criteria including gene expression and lack of excitability). The EC50 for OXT in these cells was 33 nM, and responses saturated at 1 µM. 500 nM L-371,257 (an OXTR antagonist) significantly inhihited the responses to OXT. In a semi-intact preparation of lingual slices, OXT did not alter bitter tastant-evoked Ca2+ responses. Further, in behavioral studies, OXT (10 mg/kg i.p.) did not alter the responses of mice to aversive salty (NaCl), bitter (quinine), or sour (citric acid) solutions. In contrast, OXT (0.1 mg/kg i.p.) significantly decreased taste behavioral responses to low-to-intermediate concentrations of sucrose. My data suggest that OXT may modulate sweet taste sensitivity in vivo by acting on glial-like cells in taste buds. Second, Renal Outer Medullary K channel (ROMK) mRNA was also detected by RT-PCR in taste buds . Immunostaining revealed that ROMK is localized to the apical tips of glial-like taste cells. In the kidney, ROMK, apically localized in nephron epithelium facilitates a unidirectional flow (i.e. excretion) of K+. I suggest that, analogous to glia in the central nervous system, glial-like taste cells homeostatically redistribute extracellular [K+ ] within taste buds to maintain their sensitivity. The results of this study reveal that glial-like taste cells resemble nervous system glia in more ways than simply clearing neurotransmitters. They may also modulate the sensory output of the taste bud and buffer the extracellular [K+]. A more active role for glial-like cells in the functioning of the taste bud should be investigated.

The shock prod defensive burying test has proven incredibly reliable and instrumental in determining the underpinnings of normal anxiety in rodents. Largely ignored in tests of defensive burying, however, is the capacity for individual animals to display marked variations in active and passive coping behaviors. To unmask the neurobiological correlates of this behavioral differentiation, rats were exposed to a mousetrap that was remotely triggered upon approach to remove the quality of pain. This design invited striking variations in defensive burying behavior levels, in which some rats either buried robustly or showed little to no levels of defensive burying. Furthermore, differences in burying behavior were associated with marked differences in the central expression of arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT). Thus, relative to animals showing no significant levels of defensive burying activity, rats showing sustained elevations in defensive burying expressed higher levels of AVP mRNA and increased numbers of androgen receptor positive cells in the medial amygdala and posterior bed nuclei of the stria terminalis, brain regions that integrate emotional appraisal and sensory information. In contrast, animals showing little to no defensive burying responses expressed relatively higher levels of AVP and OT mRNA within the supraoptic nucleus and subregions of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus responsible for neuroendocrine and autonomic function. CRH mRNA levels did not vary as a function of burying activity in the central nucleus of the amygdala, the anterior division of the bed nuclei of the stria terminalis, nor in the paraventricular nucleus. These findings suggest a role for central AVP and OT in mediating differential defensive behaviors, and demonstrate the utility of using a pain free test of conditioned defensive burying as a framework for exploring individual differences in behavioral coping and neuroendocrine capacity.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2005. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wyoming, 2008. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on June 24, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 158-174).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Delaware, 2008. / Principal faculty advisor: Mary Dozier, Dept. of Psychology. Includes bibliographical references.