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Spatial-specific action of serotonin within the leech midbody ganglion

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Abstract

Serotonin is a conspicuous neuromodulator in the nervous system of many vertebrates and invertebrates. In previous experiments performed in the leech nervous system, we compared the effect of the amine released from endogenous sources [using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), e.g. fluoxetine] with that of bath-applied serotonin. The results suggested that the amine does not reach all its targets in a uniform way, but produces the activation of an interneuronal pathway that generated specific synaptic responses on different neurons. Taking into account that the release of the amine is often regulated at the presynaptic level, we have investigated whether autoreceptor antagonists mimic the SSRIs effect. We found that methiothepin (100 μM) produced similar effects than fluoxetine. To further test the hypothesis that endogenous serotonin produce its effect by acting locally at specific sites, we analyzed the effect of iontophoretic applications of serotonin. We found a site in the neuropil of the leech ganglia where serotonin application mimicked the effect of the SSRIs and the 5-HT antagonist. The results further support the view that the effect of serotonin exhibits a spatial specificity that can be relevant to understand its modulatory actions.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from FIRCA-NIH (USA) and UBACyT (Argentina). The authors thank Mariano Rodriguez for helping us with the analysis of the recordings, and also thank him, Sergio Daicz and Dr. Lorena Rela for their discussion of the present manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dto. de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, IFIBYNE-CONICET, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón II, piso 2, 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    María Ana Calviño & Lidia Szczupak

  2. LFBM, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón II, piso 2, 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    María Ana Calviño

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  1. María Ana Calviño
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  2. Lidia Szczupak
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Correspondence to María Ana Calviño.

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Calviño, M.A., Szczupak, L. Spatial-specific action of serotonin within the leech midbody ganglion. J Comp Physiol A 194, 523–531 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-008-0326-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-008-0326-2

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