Acetyl-l-carnitine prevents serotonin-induced behavioural sensitization and dishabituation in Hirudo medicinalis

A non-selective serotonin antagonist promotes rapid habituation in the terrestrial hermit crab

“…Researchers should also consider additional kinds of serotonergic manipulations. The administration of a 5-HT agonist, for example, may result in increased sensitization relative to a vehicle control (see, e.g., Aggio et al, 1996, Traina et al, 2013).…”

“…Substantial evidence has accumulated regarding the relevant neurochemical systems that are employed in non-associative learning situations. Prior studies of sensitization in invertebrates have implicated the endogenous neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT) in non-associative learning in invertebrate species [e.g., in Aplysia (e.g., Barbas et al, 2003, Brunelli et al, 1976, Glanzman et al, 1989), in the crab Chasmagnathus granulatus (Aggio et al, 1996), and in the leech Hirudo medicinalis (Burrell and Sahley, 2005, Burrell et al, 2001, Traina et al, 2013, Zaccardi et al, 2004)]. Administration of 5-HT has been found to facilitate the effects of presynaptic transmission (Chitwood et al, 2001) which correlates with an increased likelihood of sensitization.…”

Learning processes in elementary nervous systems§

“…Also, in the leech model, 5HT has a fundamental role in behavioral dishabituation and sensitization (Burrell et al, 2001). It has also been reported that 5-HT acts via cAMP (Zaccardi et al, 2004;Traina et al, 2013).…”

Transcription and protein synthesis inhibitors influence long-term effects of acetyl-l-carnitine on non-associative learning in the leech

“…Starting from 2004, we have exploited the experimental advantages of the leech Hirudo medicinalis in order to investigate some mechanisms through which ALC exerts its actions on the nervous system (Lombardo et al, 2004;Ristori et al, 2006;Traina et al, 2013). In this Invertebrate, the nociceptive stimulation of the dorsal skin induces changes in the swim initiation (SI) by producing a more rapid response to a test stimulus (sensitization) (Zaccardi et al, 2001).…”