Neuropeptides and cerebral electric activity in rabbits

The effects of some neuropeptides infused into the cerebral ventricles on the spontaneous cerebral electric activity were studied in unanasthetized rabbits. The following peptides were investigated: physalaemin, caerulein, bombesin, litorin (supplied by Farmitalia). The rabbits were prepared according to Monnier and Gangloff's [10] method in order to record the spontaneous cortical activity. Each of these substances affects the electroencephalographic (EEG) records in a specific and dose-related way. Bombesin induces a biphasic pattern (synchronization followed by a partial activation), litorin is partially activating and physalaemin brings about a marked desynchronization. In spite of the marked structural analogy between bombesin and litorin, their EEG effects differ.