Whelan, PatrickDunbar, Mary Jansen2017-12-182017-12-182009Dunbar, M. J. (2009). Serotonergic modulation of locomotor networks (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/4810http://hdl.handle.net/1880/105811Bibliography: p. 163-177A few pages are in colour.Serotonin can potently activate and modulate spinal locomotor circuits in a variety of species. Many of these findings have been obtained by applying serotonin exogenously to the isolated spinal cord of in vitro preparations, which has the drawback of indiscriminately activating extrasynaptic receptors and neurons. To investigate the role of endogenously released serotonin in modulating locomotor networks the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram was used. The addition of 20 µM of citalopram caudal to thoracic segment 5 (T5) had an overall inhibitory effect on the lumbar CPG. When citalopram was added in the presence of 5-HT1A and 5-HT18 antagonists the inhibitory effects were reversed. The remaining excitatory effects were mediated by 5-HT7 and 5-HT2 receptors. Overall these data lead us to suggest that endogenously released 5-HT plays a crucial role in eliciting and modulating locomotor activity during early neonatal development.xiv, 180 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm.engUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.master thesis10.11575/PRISM/4810