Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0027066 (myoclonus)
 4,275 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Clonazepam (5-(2-chlorophenyl)-1,3-dihydro-7-nitro 2H-1,4 benzodiazepin-2-one) (2 mg/kg) reduced a p,p'-DDT-induced myoclonus in mice by 50%. This antimyoclonic action of clonazepam was counteracted by the serotonin (5-HT) receptor blockers methysergide, metergoline and cinnanserin and potentiated by the 5-HT uptake inhibitors fluoxetine and chlorimipramine. Clonazepam (4 mg/kg) reduced plasma tryptophan by 27%, but had no effect on brain tryptopham, 5-HT, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, 5-HT synthesis and 3H-5-HT receptor binding. Clonazepam (10(-5) M) inhibited brain synaptosomal 3H-5-HT uptake by 23% and increased 3H-5-HT release by 24%. However, 2-8 mg/kg of clonazepam administered intraperitoneally had no effect on 5-HT uptake or release. gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonists (muscimol, acetylenic GABA, amino-oxyacetic acid) and the GABA antagonists bicuculline and isoniazid had no effect on p,p'-DDT-induced myoclonus. Furthermore, bicuculline did not counteract the antimyoclonic effect of clonazepam. We suggest that the antimyoclonic action of clonazepam is mediated by enhancement of serotonergic rather than GABAergic neurotransmission.
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PMID:Antimyoclonic action of clonazepam: the role of serotonin. 52 Apr 16

Indoleamine-induced myoclonus in guinea pigs is a specific model of brainstem 5-HT function that can be used to characterize the indoleamine systems initiating myoclonus. 5-HT precursors and indole-containing 5-HT agonists induce myoclonus in guinea pigs, but piperazine-containing compounds do not. This selectivity of action correlates with the ability of 5-HT agonists to act at 5-HT-1 receptors. Further evidence for the involvement of a brainstem 5-HT receptor subpopulation in the initiation of myoclonus is shown by the differential ability of 5-HT antagonists to inhibit 5-HTP-induced myoclonus and of 5-HT reuptake blockers to potentiate threshold myoclonus. Distinct tryptamine receptors also may be involved in producing myoclonus, since indoleamine antagonists show differing potencies in inhibiting 5-HTP- and tryptamine-induced myoclonus. Tryptamine-induced myoclonus is, however, dependent on intact presynaptic 5-HT function. Biochemical studies indicate that 5-HT is primarily responsible for 5-HTP-evoked myoclonus, whereas tryptamine predominates in tryptamine-induced myoclonus. Both 5-HT and tryptamine may contribute to myoclonus produced by L-tryptophan. Indoleamine-induced myoclonus in guinea pigs may be valuable in studying the organization of brainstem indoleamine systems that may be involved in some forms of human myoclonus.
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PMID:5-HT-mediated myoclonus in the guinea pig as a model of brainstem 5-HT and tryptamine receptor action. 241 49

The acute behavioural consequences of intragastric p,p'-DDT in high doses to mice are stimulus sensitive abrupt muscle jerks (myoclonus). The serotonin (5-HT) precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) ameliorated in contrast to the natural precursor tryptophan, the neurotoxin-induced myoclonus. The extracerebral decarboxylase inhibitor carbidopa and the selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitor paroxetine both enhanced the antimyoclonic action of 5-HTP. The effect was reversed by the 5-HT receptor blockers cinanserine and methysergide. The data add further evidence to a central serotonergic mechanism involved in p,p'-DDT induced myoclonus.
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PMID:p,p'-DDT-induced myoclonus in mice: the effect of enhanced 5-HT neurotransmission. 298 13

L-5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is a clinically useful antimyoclonic drug that is thought to act at serotonin (5-HT) receptors after decarboxylation to 5-HT. However, the chronic effects of 5-HTP on central 5-HT receptors and the activity of 5-HTP at 5-HT receptor subtypes have not been previously reported. In rats treated 28 but not 7 consecutive days with high doses of 5-HTP (50-200 mg/kg), cortical 5-HT2 (-20%) and 5-HT1 (-11%) sites were downregulated without altered receptor affinity, but only the changes in 5-HT2 sites were significant. In naive frontal cortex in vitro, however, 5-HTP and 5-HT were more active at 5-HT1 sites, and 5-HTP was inactive at 5-HT2 sites. The differential effects of high-dose 5-HTP on 5-HT receptors suggest that 5-HT2 receptor downregulation may be relevant either to the antimyoclonic effect of chronic 5-HTP therapy in posthypoxic myoclonus or to development of tolerance.
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PMID:Effect of chronic treatment with 5-hydroxytryptophan on cortical serotonin receptors in the rat. 326 Nov 99

Neurotoxin-induced lesions of 5-HT neurons produce supersensitivity of 5-HT1 receptors without affecting 5-HT2 receptor binding in the brain. This model was used in the present work to analyze the role of 5-HT receptor subtypes in the mechanism controlling the excitatory and inhibitory behavioral responses to the pharmacological stimulation of 5-HT systems. Dorsalis raphe (DR) lesions were made by stereotaxic injection of kainic acid. At day 30 after injection DR-and control rats displayed similar baseline behavior in hole board tests. Three days later DR-and control rats received an ip injection of fluoxetine (5 or 10 mg/kg) 30 min before injecting ip 5-HTP(15 or 30 mg/kg). Immediately before and after each ip injection the excitatory response (myoclonic syndrome) was evaluated. DR-and control-group showed similar scores of myoclonus in response to fluoxetine-5-HTP. The inhibitory response was investigated in hole board trials performed 30 min after the second ip injection. The DR lesion potentiated the behavioral depressive effect of fluoxetine-5-HTP. In agreement with data in the literature the DR lesion caused 74.9% loss of forebrain 5-HT and 75% increases of 3H-5HT binding in cortex membranes. Most components of the excitatory response, which remained unchanged in the DR-lesioned rats, might be related to 5-HT2 receptors. The increased inhibitory response to 5-HT stimulation in DR-lesioned rats would be due to the supersensitivity of 5-HT1 receptors.
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PMID:Excitatory and inhibitory behavioral responses to the pharmacological stimulation of serotonergic function in dorsalis raphe lesioned rats. 326 46

The relationship of DDT myoclonus and antimyoclonic agents to the concentration of cGMP in the cerebellum was investigated. Intragastric administration of 600 mg/kg DDT increased mouse cerebellar cGMP levels about 4 fold. Antimyoclonic agents, such as L-5HTP plus fluoxetine, clonazepam, phenoxybenzamine, prostaglandin E2 and harmaline, all counteracted the elevation of cerebellar cGMP induced by DDT. Cinnanserin, a 5-HT receptor blocker, did not counteract the reduction of cerebellar cGMP produced by L-5HTP plus fluoxetine, clonazepam, and phenoxybenzamine, although cinnanserin abolished the antimyoclonic actions of these agents. Destruction of the inferior olive-climbing fiber pathway by 3-acetylpyridine in rats did not prevent the elevation of cerebellar cGMP levels by DDT. L-5HTP, clonazepam and phenoxybenzamine still significantly counteracted DDT-induced elevation of cerebellar cGMP levels in the inferior olive lesioned rats, although these agents no longer had any antimyoclonic action in these animals. These data indicate that 1) DDT-induced elevation of cerebellar cGMP and DDT-induced myoclonus are not related, and 2) antimyoclonic agents counteract DDT-induced elevation of cerebellar cGMP levels via pathways other than the olivo-cerebellar tract.
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PMID:Cerebellar cyclic GMP in p,p'-DDT myoclonus: effects of antimyoclonic agents. 630 46

Locomotor activity and hole-board exploration (frequency and time spent head-dipping) were impaired in male rats by injecting IP the 5-HT agonists, fluoxetine and 5-HTP. This treatment produced also myoclonus and increased the time spent resting during trials. The chronic ingestion of chlorimipramine (CIM) or the injection of the 5-HT receptor blocker, methysergide (15 mg/kg) prevented the action of the 5-HT agonists on locomotion and resting and blocked the appearance of myoclonus. Both CIM and methysergide prevented to a minor degree the fluoxetine-5-HTP-induced decrease of exploration. The chronic ingestion of CIM clearly potentiated the effects of methysergide on hole-board exploration. Results suggest that the chronic treatment with therapeutic doses of CIM reduces the functional activity of some 5-HT systems in the brain of the rat, probably by blockade of post-synaptic 5-HT receptors. This does not preclude, however, that CIM may also alter some NA systems.
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PMID:Effects of the chronic ingestion of therapeutic doses of chlorimipramine on the behavioral action of agonists and antagonists of serotonin in male rats. 660 38

Investigations utilizing agonists for 5-HT receptor subtypes have been conducted to determine which 5-HT receptor subtype(s) subserve myoclonus in the guinea pig. Administration of a nonselective 5-HT agonist such as 5-MeODMT (5-HT1A/5-HT2 agonist) induces a dose-dependent behavior characterized by head jerking at low doses (1-2 mg/kg, SC) and full-blown myoclonus (continuous rhythmic whole-body jerking) at higher doses (2.5-5 mg/kg, SC). In contrast, the selective 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT and the selective 5-HT2 receptor agonist DOI do not induce myoclonus, and elicit only limited head jerking across an otherwise behaviorally active range of doses (1-5 mg/kg, SC). Importantly, the coadministration of both 8-OH-DPAT and DOI results in the emergence of dose-dependent myoclonic behavior. These data suggest that coactivation of 5-HT1A and 5-HT2 receptors may be required for the induction of myoclonus in the guinea pig.
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PMID:5-HT-dependent myoclonus in guinea pigs: mediation through 5-HT1A-5-HT2 receptor interaction. 845 15

The brainstem is the locus of serotonin (5-HT)-mediated myoclonus in the guinea pig, which is induced by 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan (L-5-HTP) and indole but not piperazine 5-HT receptor agonists. As an initial step in testing the hypothesis that one 5-HT receptor subtype mediates this effect, we measured seven 5-HT receptor binding sites and the 5-HT uptake site in guinea pig brainstem and compared them to the rat. In guinea pig brainstem, the rank order of binding site density was: 5-HT transporter site >> 5-HT1D > antagonist-labeled 5-HT2 > 5-HT1A, 5-HT1C > 5-HT1E > agonist-labeled 5-HT2 binding site. There were fewer 5-HT1A and 5-HT1C binding sites and 5-HT uptake sites in guinea pig than rat brainstem, more 5-HT1D and antagonist-labeled 5-HT2 sites, but the differences were 2-fold or less. The major species difference was that 5-HT1B sites were virtually undetectable in guinea pig brainstem. Limited competition experiments with related 5-HT receptor subtype-selective agonists and antagonists suggested that the sites in guinea pig brainstem conformed to those described in the rat. 5-HT agonist and antagonist dose-threshold and dose maximum-effect data from guinea pig myoclonus in vivo were compared with receptor affinities at each receptor site in vitro from the literature. No convincing correlation between myoclonus and one particular 5-HT site was found. These data indicate the presence of a full complement of 5-HT receptor binding site subtypes in guinea pig brainstem with some species differences.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Brainstem serotonin receptors in the guinea pig: implications for myoclonus. 847 16

The immediate serotonin (5-HT) precursor, 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan (L-5-HTP), is an investigational treatment for myoclonic disorders. Its mechanism of action in humans is incompletely understood. We measured the density of subtypes of 5-HT1 and 5-HT2 receptors and the affinity of 5-HT and L-5-HTP in vitro in the human brainstem and cortex, regions associated with subcortical and cortical myoclonus, respectively. In the cortex, the rank order of 5-HT receptor subtype Bmax was 5-HT2A (low-affinity), 5-HT1A, 5-HT uptake sites, 5-HT1D, 5-HT2C, 5-HT1E/F, and 5-HT2A (high-affinity) sites. In the brainstem, the rank order was 5-HT uptake sites, 5-HT1D, 5-HT2C, 5-HT1A, and 5-HT2A(L) sites. Specific binding at 5-HT1E/F and high-affinity 5-HT2A sites was too low for characterization. In competition studies, 5-HT had high affinity for 5-HT1A and 5-HT2C sites in the brainstem and cortex, but L-5-HTP was > 1,000-fold less active. These data support the hypothesis that in humans L-5-HTP stimulates 5-HT receptors in the CNS only after conversion to 5-HT. They also indicate in the human brainstem a prominence of 5-HT1A sites and paucity of 5-HT1D, 5-HT1E/F, and 5-HT2A sites, which has implications for brainstem-mediated myoclonus and response to serotonergic drugs.
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PMID:Human brainstem serotonin receptors: characterization and implications for subcortical myoclonus. 893 89


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