Neuropeptide S receptor deficiency modulates spontaneous locomotor activity and the acoustic startle response

Behav Brain Res. 2011 Feb 2;217(1):1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2010.09.022. Epub 2010 Oct 1.

Abstract

The present study investigated the phenotype of heterozygous and homozygous neuropeptide S receptor (Npsr) deficient C57BL/6 mice in NPS- and cocaine induced hyperactivity, spontaneous and reactive locomotor activity, elevated plus maze, conditioned fear, and prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response. In Npsr-deficient mice, a strong reduction of spontaneous locomotor activity and of the startle magnitude was observed; heterozygous mice had an intermediate phenotype. In the other experiments, Npsr deficiency leads to no or only a very modest phenotype. These results support an important role of neuropeptide S in regulating locomotor activity.

MeSH terms

  • Acoustic Stimulation
  • Animals
  • Cocaine / administration & dosage
  • Cocaine / pharmacology
  • Conditioning, Classical / drug effects
  • Conditioning, Classical / physiology
  • Immobility Response, Tonic / drug effects
  • Immobility Response, Tonic / physiology
  • Infusions, Intraventricular
  • Inhibition, Psychological
  • Maze Learning / drug effects
  • Maze Learning / physiology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Motor Activity / drug effects
  • Motor Activity / genetics*
  • Motor Activity / physiology
  • Neuropeptides / administration & dosage
  • Neuropeptides / pharmacology
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / drug effects
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / genetics
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / physiology*
  • Reflex, Startle / drug effects
  • Reflex, Startle / genetics*
  • Reflex, Startle / physiology

Substances

  • NPSR1 protein, mouse
  • Neuropeptides
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • neuropeptide S, mouse
  • Cocaine