Application of models of spasticity and spastic paralysis

Research Project

Project/Area Number	60870092
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Developmental Scientific Research
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	応用薬理学・医療系薬学
Research Institution	The University of Tokyo
Principal Investigator	FUKUDA Hideomi Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 薬学部, 教授 (50080172)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	OKA Jun-ichiro Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 薬学部, 助手 (40134613) ONO Hideki Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 薬学部, 助教授 (00080200) KUDO Yoshihisa Mitsubishi-Kasei Institute of Life Sciences, 室長 (20080179)
Project Period (FY)	1985 – 1986
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 1986)
Budget Amount *help	¥5,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,500,000) Fiscal Year 1986: ¥2,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000) Fiscal Year 1985: ¥3,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000)
Keywords	Decerebrate rigidity / Chlorpromazine / Mephenesin / Spastic paralysis / 痙縮 / 固縮 / バクロフェン
Research Abstract	Intercollicular decerebrate rigidity (so-called <gamma> -rigidity) and anaemic decerebrate rigidity ( <alpha> -rigidity) have been used in pharmacological and physiological studies in cats. Because rats are usually used in behavioural and neurochemical studies for their ease of handling, however, we have produced both types of rigidity using rats in the evalustion of centrally acting muscle relaxants (Fukuda et al., 1974; Togari et al., 1978). The rate of success of intercollicular decerebrate rigidity has not been high probably due to compression of the brain by bleeding or the difficulty involved in precisely controlling the spatula. In order to avoid such problems, radio frequency (RF) lesion of the midbrain was produced in attempts to obtain a good preparation of rigidity and to establish an easy method of decerebration in rats. The effects of chlorpromazine (CPZ), a frug which preferentially depresses intercollicular decerebrate rigidity, and mephenesin, a centrally acting muscle relaxant, were evaluated on the RF decerebrate rigidity. 1. Bilateral RF lesions of the midbrain were produced in an attempt to establish a non-bleeding method of producing decerebrate rigidity in rats. 2. Marked extensor rigidity occurred with a high reproducibillity in hindlimbs without the appearance of voluntary movement. Stretch reflex tension induced by repetitive dorsiflexion of the hindfeet was employed as a measure of the intensity of rigidity. 3. CPZ-HCL (0.1-1 mg/kg, i.v.) and mephenesin (10-50 mg/kg, i.v.) which depress intercollicular decerebrate rigidity, reduced the RF decerebrate rigidity. 4. These results suggest that RF decerebrate rigidity can be used instead of intercollicular transection rigidity in the pharmacological and physiological studies.