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Bedard P, Pycock C. 
“The 'wet dog shakeš behaviour in the rat and 5-hydroxytryptamine”. 
Brit.J.Pharmacol.. 1977;59(3):450-51.
Abstract
The relationship between 'wet dog' shakes (WDS) response in the rat and central 5 - hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) function was studied. Administration of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) (25-150 mg/kg, s.c.) in combination with carbidopa (25 mg/kg, i.p. 30 min beforehand) induced this behavior in a dose-dependent manner. The WDS response began 15 min after 5-HTP injection, reached a peak at 2 hr and receded until the 6th hr. High doses of 5-HTP (200 mg/kg) were accompanied by stereotyped sniffing, padding of the forepaws and head weaving. 5-HTP-induced WDS was blocked by methysergide (5 mg/kg) and cyproheptadine (10 mg/kg). The behavior was mimicked by lysergic acid diethylamide (0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg), 5-methoxy-N,N - dimethyltryptamine (0.5-1 mg/kg) and quipazine (1.5-10 mg/kg). Similarly, treatment of rats with L-tryptophan (25-50 mg/kg) together with pargyline (25 mg/kg) induced WDS. Amphetamine (4 mg/kg, i.p.) and apomorphine (0.5 mg/kg, s.c.) produced significant inhibition of the response, with accompanying stereotyped behavior. Increases in 5-HT following 5-HTP pretreatment paralleled the intensity of the WDS response. However, no clear differences in 5-HT levels in different brain regions were seen. Bilateral lesions of the globus pallidus or of the lateral part of the ventral nucleus of the thalamus or frontal section at the level of the anterior commissure did not affect the response, while mid - diencephalic sections decreased it. WDS was almost completely abolished by lesions in the posterior commissure.
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