ANATOMICAL BASIS FOR INTERACTIONS OF ENKEPHALINS WITH OTHER TRANSMITTERS IN THE CNS OF A SNAIL

Immunocytochemical techniques for double staining were employed to investigate the morphological basis for interactions between enkephalins and other neuroactive compounds in the behavior of the gastropod mollusc Cepaea nemoralis. Coexistence of each of the two enkephalins with FMRFamide, serotonin or GABA-like immunoreactivity was found in certain neurons in cerebral, parietal, and pedal ganglia. Tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive neurons were occasionally seen in close apposition to, but never colocalized with, the enkephalins. A comparison between these anatomical observations and previous behavioral studies suggests that in gastropod molluscs cotransmission of enkephalins with classical transmitters may, at least partly, reflect synergism of these substances in the control of definite behavioral programs. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.