Flight reactions to nitric oxide in the inferior colliculus of rats depend on NMDA receptor activation

The dorsolateral periaqueductal grey (dlPAG) is proposed to play a role in the elaboration of defensive behaviors. Nitric oxide (NO) donors, injected into this region, induce flight reactions. The reactions have also been observed after electrical or chemical stimulation of the inferior colliculus (IC). The enzyme responsible for NO formation, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), is expressed in the IC. The aims of this study were to investigate if NO donors injected into the IC would also cause aversive reactions and if these reactions would involve activation of NMDA receptors. The results showed that 3-morpholinosylnomine hydrochloride (SIN-1; 300 nmol), an NO donor, injected into the central nucleus but not into the dorsal cortex of the IC (CIC and DCIC, respectively) of male Wistar rats induced flight reactions characterized by galloping and jumps. Pretreatment (10 min) with methylene blue (MB; 100 or 200 nmol), a guanylate cyclase (GC) inhibitor, partially inhibited this flight reaction, decreasing the number of jumps. 8-Bromo-cGMP (8-Br-GMP), a membrane-permeable cGMP analogue, increased the number of contralateral turnings. Pretreatment (10 min) with the NMDA receptor antagonist amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid (AP7; 2 nmol) completely prevented the effects of SIN-1. It is concluded that NO may induce aversive reactions in the CIC and that these reactions depend on NMDA receptor activation. They may also partially involve facilitation of GC activity.