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Evidence of Nicotine-Induced, Curare-Insensitive, Behavior in Planarians.
Oné R Pagán1, Erica Montgomery2, Sean Deats3
1Department of Biology, West Chester University, West Chester, PA, 19383, USA. opagan@wcupa.edu.
Neurochemical Research
|January 24, 2015
Summary
Curare, a nicotinic receptor antagonist, partially reduces nicotine-induced movements in planarians. This suggests nicotine causes behaviors in planarians that are not blocked by curare.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology and neuroscience research
- Model organism development
Background:
- Planarians are increasingly used in pharmacological and neuroscience studies.
- Nicotine induces seizure-like movements in planarians (pSLM).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of curare, a cholinergic nicotinic receptor antagonist, on nicotine-induced behaviors in planarians.
- To determine if nicotine-induced behaviors in planarians are solely mediated by the targeted receptors.
Main Methods:
- Administration of nicotine and curare to planarians.
- Observation and quantification of planarian seizure-like movements (pSLM).
- Comparison of effects at equimolar concentrations (1 mM).
Main Results:
- Curare alleviated nicotine-induced pSLM by up to 50% at equimolar concentrations.
- Curare alone did not induce significant pSLMs.
- This indicates the presence of curare-insensitive, nicotine-induced behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Nicotine induces behaviors in planarians that are not fully antagonized by curare.
- This is the first report of curare-insensitive, nicotine-induced effects in any organism.
- Planarian models offer unique insights into neuropharmacology.
