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Autonomic adjustments during avoidance and orienting responses induced by electrical stimulation of the central nervous system in toads (Bufo paracnemis)

Journal of Comparative Physiology B volume 155, pages 381–386 (1985)Cite this article

Summary

Electrical stimulation of the central nervous system of conscious toads with permanently implanted electrodes in regions related to orienting and avoidance responses induces cardiovascular (hypertension and tachycardia) and respiratory (increased intrapulmonary pressure) changes together with the somato-motor effects typical of these responses. Sympathetic activation occurs and the main peripheral mediator involved may be adrenergic, since the cardiovascular effects are almost completely blocket by systemic pretreatment with phentolamine and DCI.

The cardiovascular changes obtained by central stimulation are qualitatively similar to those recorded for toads whose orienting and avoidance behaviors are obtained by the presentation of visual stimuli (presentation of a prey and of a black card moved over the experimental box). Variations in heart rhythm may occur in both cases in the absence of visible somatic manifestations or of other neurovegetative changes, thus showing the importance of this parameter as an index of sensory reception of biologically significant stimuli.

The results are compared to those obtained under similar conditions in other non-mammalian vertebrates.

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Abbreviations

BP :

blood pressure

EMG :

electromyogram

ES :

electrical stimulation

IPP :

intrapulmonary pressure

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, USP, 14100, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil

    Maria Bernardete Cordeiro de Sousa & Anette Hoffmann

Authors
  1. Maria Bernardete Cordeiro de Sousa
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  2. Anette Hoffmann
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Cordeiro de Sousa, M.B., Hoffmann, A. Autonomic adjustments during avoidance and orienting responses induced by electrical stimulation of the central nervous system in toads (Bufo paracnemis). J Comp Physiol B 155, 381–386 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00687482

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00687482

Keywords

  • Central Nervous System
  • Electrical Stimulation
  • Visual Stimulus
  • Sympathetic Activation
  • Avoidance Behavior