[Influence of anxiolytic afobazole on amygdalar neuronal activity and behavior of rabbits in emotionally negative situations].

ABSTRACT

The influence of systemic injection of anxiolytic afobazole (1 mg/kg) on interaction between neurons of the basal and central amygdaloor nuclei and behavior of rabbits in negative emotional situations was studied in order to reveal characteristics of amygdalar neuronal network properties during unconditioned fear. An afobazole injection results in a prolongation of stay in the light compartment of dark-light chamber, in a decrease in freezing probability after exposure of emotional stimuli, in appearance of some aggressive reactions in open field. Behavioral alterations were accompanied by duration increase and latency changes of amygdalar neuronal inhibitory interactions, by increase of probability of neuronal interactions on delta-range frequency, by decrease of interactions on theta-range frequency. Under the influence of afobazole the asymmetry with right dominance in interhemispheric interaction of amygdalar neurons decreased. Changes in network properties ofamygdalar neurons during afobazole injection testify to reduction of activation level of this structure taking place at the expense of enhancement of inhibitory interactions between neurons.