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Prenatal Cocaine Exposure Alters Alpha2 Receptor Expression In Adolescent Rats, Rosemarie M. Booze, David R. Wallace, Janelle M. Silvers, Barbara J. Strupp, Diane M. Snow, Charles F. Mactutus

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Prenatal cocaine exposure produces attentional deficits which to persist through early childhood. Given the role of norepinephrine (NE) in attentional processes, we examined the forebrain NE systems from prenatal cocaine exposed rats. Cocaine was administered during pregnancy via the clinically relevant intravenous route of administration. Specifically, we measured alpha2-adrenergic receptor (alpha2-AR) density in adolescent (35-days-old) rats, using [3H]RX821002 (5 nM).

RESULTS: Sex-specific alterations of alpha2-AR were found in the hippocampus and amygdala of the cocaine-exposed animals, as well as an upregulation of alpha2-AR in parietal cortex.

CONCLUSION: These data suggest that prenatal cocaine exposure results in a persistent alteration …

Cyclooxygenase-2 Mediates Microglial Activation And Secondary Dopaminergic Cell Death In The Mouse Mptp Model Of Parkinson's Disease, Rattanavijit Vijitruth, Mei Liu, Dong-Young Choi, Xuan V. Nguyen, Randy L. Hunter, Guoying Bing

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence suggests that inflammation plays an important role in the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). Among many inflammatory factors found in the PD brain, cyclooxygenase (COX), specifically the inducible isoform, COX-2, is believed to be a critical enzyme in the inflammatory response. Induction of COX-2 is also found in an experimental model of PD produced by administration of 1-methy-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP).

METHOD: COX-2-deficient mice or C57BL/6 mice were treated with MPTP to investigate the effects of COX-2 deficiency or by using various doses of valdecoxib, a specific COX-2 inhibitor, which induces inhibition of COX-2 on dopaminergic neuronal toxicity and …