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Effects of intravenous cocaine administration on cerebellar Purkinje cell activity
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Effects of intravenous cocaine administration on cerebellar Purkinje cell activity

Carlos A Jiménez-Rivera, Omayra Segarra, Zoraya Jiménez and Barry D Waterhouse
European journal of pharmacology, v 407(1)
2000
PMID: 11050295

Abstract

Cerebellum Cocaine Glutamate Microiontophoresis Norepinephrine Purkinje cell Rat
The goal of the present study was to investigate the effects of intravenous cocaine administration on cerebellar Purkinje cell firing. Extracellular neuron activity was recorded and cells were locally excited with spaced microiontophoretic pulses of glutamate. Glutamate-evoked and spontaneous discharges were compared before and immediately following cocaine administration. Cocaine injections (1.0 and 0.25 mg/kg, i.v.) induced a reversible suppression of both spontaneous activity and glutamate-evoked excitation. Procaine was ineffective in producing similar actions. Cocaine only inhibited glutamate-induced excitation in animals pre-treated with reserpine (5 mg/kg, i.p.). Propranolol injections (10 mg/kg, i.p.) were ineffective in blocking cocaine-induced inhibitions. Yohimbine (5 mg/kg, i.p.) pre-treatment abolished cocaine-induced suppressions of either spontaneous or glutamate-evoked excitation. Therefore, cocaine administration decreases Purkinje cell spontaneous and glutamate-evoked discharges by a mechanism involving α 2-adrenoceptor activation. It is suggested that by changing the normal function of the cerebellum cocaine can produce drug-related alterations in overt behavior and cognition.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
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