Central Administration of Noradrenergic Drugs and Circadian Phase Shifts.

Abstract

Earlier work has shown that systemic administration of beta-adrenergic antagonist (beta-blocker) propranolol greatly reduces nonphotically induced phase shifts of circadian rhythms indicating that noradrenergic transmission is crucial to non-photic phase shifts. To verify that this effect is centrally mediated and to determine the type(s) of receptors responsible for the effect, we have begun to administer drugs that stimulate or block adrenergic receptors via cannulae implanted lateral ventricles of hamsters.