THE NMDA ANTAGONIST MK-801 BLOCKS LIGHT EFFECT ON MELATONIN RECEPTOR DENSITY IN RAT SUPRACHIASMATIC NUCLEI

Authors
GAUER F MASSONPEVET M PEVET P
Citation
F. Gauer et al., THE NMDA ANTAGONIST MK-801 BLOCKS LIGHT EFFECT ON MELATONIN RECEPTOR DENSITY IN RAT SUPRACHIASMATIC NUCLEI, Neuroscience letters, 171(1-2), 1994, pp. 24-26
Citations number
28
Categorie Soggetti
Neurosciences
Journal title
Neuroscience letters → ACNP
ISSN journal
03043940
Volume
171
Issue
1-2
Year of publication
1994
Pages
24 - 26
Database
ISI
SICI code
0304-3940(1994)171:1-2<24:TNAMBL>2.0.ZU;2-F
Abstract
In pinealectomized rats, melatonin receptor density in the suprachiasm atic nuclei was recently shown to be strongly decreased during the dar k period. Furthermore, a one-hour long light pulse is able to reverse this dark-induced decrease. We demonstrate here that this effect of a light-pulse during night time is blocked by prior application of the N MDA receptor antagonist MK-801. These results show that the light effe ct on melatonin receptor density in the SCN is mediated by activation of NMDA-type receptors.