In the present investigation, electrophysiological recordings of thalamic relay neurons were used to investigate the role of estrogen as a modulator of visceral afferent information through the PBN to forebrain structures. Experiments were done in anaesthetized (sodium thiobutabarbitol; 100 mg/kg) m...

Several studies have suggested that a potential mechanism for estrogen-mediated neuroprotection following experimental stroke is a result of modulating glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity. Our laboratory has shown that in male rats, estrogen injection (systemic or direct intracortical injection) resul...

Estrogen has received considerable attention as a potential therapeutic agent against various forms of neurodegenerative diseases including stroke. Experimental data in animal models of stroke have provided exhaustive evidence of the neuroprotective properties of this steroid hormone. Our laboratory...

The parabrachial nucleus (PBN) has a prominent anatomical connection with the nucleus of the solitary tract as well as other central baroreflex centres which suggests a role for the PBN in the regulation of this cardiovascular reflex. This study examined the effects of a reversible, bilateral blocka...

Mild NMDA receptor activation is correlated with neuroprotection in models of cerebral ischemia. Neuroprotection with NMDA manifests as a form of ischemic tolerance and involves the induction of cellular stress systems sensitive to disturbances in cellular calcium homeostasis. Unilateral micro-injec...

Recent investigations have provided evidence to suggest systemic estrogen administration prevented or reversed the sympathoexcitation observed following middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in male rats. The present investigation sought to determine the role of estrogen injected directly into the...

Berberis vulgaris fruit (barberry) is known for its antiarrhythmic and sedative effects in Iranian traditional medicine. The effects of crude aqueous extract of barberry on rat arterial blood pressure and the contractile responses of isolated rat aortic rings and mesenteric bed to phenylephrine were...

Previous investigations have demonstrated that the peptides substance P (SP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), cholecystokinin (CCK), neurotensin (NT) and somatostatin (SOM) significantly modulate the glutamate-mediated transmission of visceral information through the parabrachial nucleus (PB...

Several studies have provided evidence to suggest that estrogen results in a significant reduction (approximately 50%) in the size of the ischemic zone in the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of stroke in a rat. The current study was done to demonstrate whether this estrogen-induced red...

Estrogen has previously been shown to significantly change sympathetic and parasympathetic system output via an action within the central nuclei responsible for regulating autonomic tone. These estrogen-induced changes were observed within 30 min of systemic administration and could be blocked by th...