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Effect of clonidine on ultrasonic vocalization in preweaning rats

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Summary

The present study was undertaken to investigate the involvement of the noradrenergic neurotransmission system in the ultra sonic callings emitted by rat pups separated from their mother and exposed to cold stimulation. The investigation was primarily performed by help of agents selectively affecting the α-adrenoceptors: the α2-agonist clonidine, the α1-antagonist prazosin and the α2-antagonist idazoxan.

Clonidine dose-dependently stimulated the amount of ultra sonic vocalization, an effect not solely dependent upon the effect of clonidine on body temperature. In a developmental study it was found that clonidine uniformly stimulated crying at all ages from 4 days of age up to 18 days of age, that is during the whole preweaning period. Clonidine stimulated ultrasonic crying in rat pups, devoid of presynaptic catecholamine (CA) neurons by combined pretreatment with the monoamine depletor, reserpine, and the inhibitor of CAsynthesis, α-methyl-tyrosine. This finding suggested that the stimulating effect of clonidine on ultrasonic vocalization was mediated by postsynaptic adrenoceptors.

In pups, 12 days of age, idazoxan blocked the effect of cold stimulation on ultra sonic crying, suggesting that α2-adrenoceptors, presumably postsynaptic ones, mediated this kind of stimulation. Idazoxan also antagonized the effect of clonidine, but only at a dose effective also in control pups. Prazosin had no effect on cold-stimulated crying, but antagonized the effect of clonidine, suggesting that the effect of clonidine was also mediated by α1-receptors. At 18 days of age, prazosin no longer antagonized the effect of clonidine, whereas the antagonizing action of idazoxan was reinforced.

The age-dependent variation in responsiveness to the adrenergic drugs suggest maturational changes in the function of the CA-system occurring between 12–16 days of age.

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  1. E. Hård

    Present address: Department of Psychology, Unit of Psychobiology, University of Göteborg, Göteborg, Sweden

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Göteborg, Göteborg, Sweden

    E. Hård

  2. Department of Pharmacology, University of Göteborg, Göteborg, Sweden

    J. Engel

  3. Department of Psychology, Unit of Psychobiology, University of Göteborg, Göteborg, Sweden

    Ann-Sofie Lindh

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  2. J. Engel
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  3. Ann-Sofie Lindh
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Hård, E., Engel, J. & Lindh, AS. Effect of clonidine on ultrasonic vocalization in preweaning rats. J. Neural Transmission 73, 217–237 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01250138

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01250138

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