[Abstract Title]. - Society for Neuroscience

priming experiments (daily bilateral injection of 6 fmoles of Ucn1 into the BLA for 5
consecutive days), a significant decrease in SI was seen by day 3 and by day 5 the decrease in SI
was persistent. BIM-23027 pre-treatment delays Ucn1 priming in that a significant decrease in SI
was not observed until day 5 and thereafter. These findings suggest that the somatostatin-2
receptor in the BLA has a role in regulating anxiety and we hypothesize that the somatostatin-2
receptor agonists may be effective in treating anxiety disorders.
Disclosures: D.L. Gaskins , None; P.L. Johnson, None; P.E. Kelly, None; A.D. Dietrich,
None; W.A. Truitt, None; A. Shekhar, None.
Poster
283. Stress-Regulated Pathways II
Time: Sunday, November 16, 2008, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Program#/Poster#: 283.14/PP10
Topic: E.06.f. Stress modulated pathways
Support: NIH Grant DA15758
Title: Effects of the organic cation transporter 3 (OCT3) inhibitor, normetanephrine, on
yohimbine-induced anxiety and cocaine-seeking behavior in rats
Authors: E. N. GRAF, J. R. MANTSCH, *D. A. BAKER, P. J. GASSER;
Dept Biomed. Sci., Marquette Univ., Milwaukee, WI
Abstract: Stressor-induced increases in noradrenergic neurotransmission have been implicated
in anxiety and drug-seeking behavior. Yohimbine, an antagonist at the alpha-2 adrenergic
receptor, has been used as a pharmacological stressor by virtue of its ability to disinhibit
ascending noradrenergic activity, resulting in central increases in norepinephrine (NE) release.
Recent studies have suggested that organic cation transporter 3 (OCT3), a high-capacity, lowaffinity
monoamine transporter, contributes to clearance of extracellular NE in the brain when
higher affinity NE transporters are saturated. The goal of the present study was to examine the
effects of OCT3 inhibition on yohimbine-induced anxiety-like and drug-seeking behavior in rats.
In the first set of studies, rats were tested for behavior on the elevated plus maze or in the
light/dark box following administration of yohimbine (0.3, 1.0, and 3.0 mg/kg, ip) alone or in
combination with the OCT3 inhibitor, normetanephrine (5.0 mg/kg, ip). Yohimbine dosedependently
decreased activity on the open arms of the elevated plus maze and in the light
compartment of the light/dark box. Normetanephrine, by itself or in combination with low doses
of yohimbine that failed to alter anxiety-related behavior, also reduced open-arm and lightcompartment
activity, suggesting that OCT3 blockade may be anxiogenic and may potentiate