ISSN:
1432-1106
Keywords:
Neuronal cerebral and cerebellar RNA synthesis
;
Motor activity
;
RNA initiation sites
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Summary The nicotinamide antagonist 6-aminonicotinamide (6-AN) administered to rats prior to the second postnatal week drastically affected their motoric activity by producing consecutive reversible hypo- and hypermotoric stages. To obtain information on the validity of the putative link of correlated changes in brain RNA synthesis and motoric activity, neuronal and nonastrocytic glial cerebral and cerebellar in vitro RNA synthesis was determined during the hypo- and hypermotoric stages induced by in vivo administration of 6-AN given on the 7th day of a rat's life. Significant changes were apparent in the rate of neuronal cerebral and cerebellar RNA synthesis coinciding with the different phases of motor activity. However, only the changes in neuronal cerebral RNA synthesis were directly proportional to the changing pattern of motor activity. Measurement of the total number of RNA initiation sites present in neuronal cerebral chromatin, which was isolated during the phase of reduced and elevated muscular activity, revealed that the drug-induced changes in neuronal cerebral RNA synthesis could be directly attributed to a genetically repressed or activated state of the corresponding neuronal chromatin fraction. Nevertheless, although there was evidence suggesting a connection between changes in neuronal cerebral RNA synthesis and corresponding changes in muscular activity it was difficult to deduce any direct relationship between parameters owing to the absence of a convincing biological assay for assessing the role of RNA in motor function.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00236738
