Stress Induced Changes in Attention

Abstract

The purpose of the series of experiments carried in this ASSERT Award was to determine how dopamine agonists would affect the acoustic startle reflex. We found that dopamine agonists increase the acoustic startle reflex by acting at dopamine, D1 receptors in both the striatum and the substantia nigra zona reticula (SNr). The SNr projects via a GABAergic pathway to the deep layers of the superior colliculus which in turn projects to the acoustic startle pathway. Activation of dopamine receptors in the dorsal striatum and SNr leads to a release of GABA in the SNr which inhibits the GABA neurons that project to the deep layers of the superior colliculus. This produces a disinhibition of these neurons and a consequent increase in the acoustic startle reflex. The work is relevant to how dopamine acts on motor reflexes as well as the role of dopamine in attention.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 12, 2000
Accession Number
ADA385861

Entities

People

  • Michael S. Davis

Organizations

  • Yale University

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Amines
  • Anatomy
  • Biological Sciences
  • Brain
  • Central Nervous System
  • Chemical Compounds
  • Dopamine
  • Glutamic Acid
  • Human Behavior
  • Infusions
  • Intensity
  • Nervous System
  • Neural Pathways
  • Parkinson'S Disease

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Neuroscience