Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8837825 | Behavioural Brain Research | 2018 | 27 Pages |
Abstract
In the present study, we examined the effect of systemic guanfacine administration on food-motivated impulsive choice behavior in rats and the neuronal mechanism underlying this effect. Repeated administration of either guanfacine, methylphenidate, or atomoxetine significantly enhanced impulse control, increasing the number of times the rats chose a large but delayed reward in a dose-dependent manner. The effect of guanfacine was significantly blocked by pretreatment with an α2A-adrenergic receptor antagonist. Furthermore, the effect of guanfacine remained unaffected in rats pretreated with a selective noradrenergic neurotoxin, consistent with a post-synaptic action. In contrast, the effect of atomoxetine on impulsive choice behavior was attenuated by pretreatment with the noradrenergic neurotoxin. These results provide the first evidence that systemically administered guanfacine reduces impulsive choice behavior in rats and that direct stimulation of postsynaptic, rather than presynaptic, α2A-adrenergic receptors is involved in this effect.
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Authors
Kouhei Nishitomi, Koji Yano, Mika Kobayashi, Kohei Jino, Takuya Kano, Naotaka Horiguchi, Shunji Shinohara, Minoru Hasegawa,