Abstract
Male Wistar rats were treated orally with D-l-amphetamine sulphate in a dose of 3 mg/kg daily during 9 months. An increase of locomotor activity during the first 3 months was observed, while in the following 6 months locomotor activity was similar to the control group. The estimations of noradrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine levels in 9 discrete areas of brain, after 9 months of amphetamine treatment showed no changes in 5-HT level, but a significant decrease of the noradrenaline level in the pons. Withdrawal of amphetamine from rats treated for 9 months with this drug caused an inhibition of locomotor activity and a decrease of noradrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine level in the cerebellum.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Askevold, F.: The occurence of paranoid incidents and abstinence delirium in abuses of amphetamine. Acta psychiat. scand. 34, 145–164 (1959).
Beamish, P., Kiloh, L. G.: Psychoses due to amphetamine consumption. J. ment. Sci. 106, 337–343 (1960).
Bell, D. S., Trethowan, W. H.: Amphetamine addiction and disturbed sexuality. Arch. gen. Psychiat. 4, 74–78 (1961).
Brodie, B. B., Cho, A. K., Gessa, G. L.: Possible role of p-hydroxynorephedrine in the depletion of norepinephrine induced by d-amphetamine and in tolerance to this drug. In: Amphetamines and related compounds, pp. 217–230. E. Costa and S. Garattini, Eds. New York: Raven Press 1970.
Burn, J. H., Rand, M. J.: The action of sympathomimetic amines in animals treated with reserpine. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 144, 314–336 (1958).
Carr, L. A., Moore, K. E.: Norepinephrine: Release from brain by d-amphetamine in vivo. Science 164, 322–323 (1969).
Connel, P. H.: Amphetamine psychosis, p 133. Maudsley monograph No. 5, London: Chapman and Hall 1958.
Costa, E., Groppetti, A.: Biosynthesis and storage of catecholamines in tissues of rats injected with various doses of d-amphetamine. In: Amphetamines and related compounds, pp. 231–255. E. Costa and S. Garrattini Eds. New York: Raven Press 1970.
Eddy, N. B., Halbach, H., Isbell, H., Seevers, M. H.: Drug dependence: Its significance and characteritics, Bull. Wld. Hlth Org. 32, 721–733 (1965).
Ehrich, W. E., Krumbhaar, E. B.: The effects of large doses of benzedrine sulfate on the albino rat: Functional and tissue changes. Ann. intern. Med. 10, 1847–1888 (1937).
Griffith, J. D., Cavanaugh, J. H., Held, J., Oates, J. A.: Experimental psychosis induced by the administration of d-amphetamine. In: Amphetamines and related compounds, pp. 897–904. E. Costa and S. Garattini, Eds. New York: Raven Press 1970.
Hampton, W. H.: Observed psychiatric reactions following use of amphetamine and amphetamine-like substances. Bull. N. Y. Acad. Med. 37, 167–175 (1961).
Herman, Z. S., Kolada, K., Drybański, A., Sokola, A., Trzeciak, H., Chruściel, T.L.: The influence of 1-(o-allylphenoxy)-3-isopropylamino-2-propanol hydrochloride (Alprenolol) on the central nervous system of the rat. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 21, 66–73 (1971).
Hertting, G., Axelrod, J., Whitby, L. G.: Effect of drugs on the uptake and metabolism of H3-norepinephrine. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther. 134, 146–152 (1961).
Jaffe, J. H.: Drug addition and drug abuse. In: L. S. Goodman and A. Gilman, Ed.: The pharmacological basis of therapeutics, pp. 285–311. New York: Macmillan 1965.
Kalant, O. J.: The amphetamines. Toxicity and addiction, pp. 7–30. Brookside Monograph No. 5 Toronto: University of Toronto Press 1966.
Knoll, J.: Motimeter, a new sensitive apparatus for the quantitative measurement of hypermotility caused by psychostimulants. Arch. int. Phafmacodyn. 120, 141–154 (1961).
Kosman, M. E., Unna, K. R.: Effects of chronic administration of the amphetamines and other stimulants on behavior. Clin. Pharmacol. Ther. 9, 240–254 (1968).
Leake, C. D.: The amphetamines, p. 167. Springfield, Ill.: Ch. C. Thomas 1958.
Lewander, T.: Urinary excretion and tissue levels of catecholamines during chronic amphetamine intoxication. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 13, 394–407 (1969).
—: Catecholamine turn-over studies in chronic amphetamine intoxication. In: Amphetamines and related compounds, pp. 311–329. E. Costa and S. Garattini, Eds. New York: Raven Press 1970.
Maickel, R. P., Cox, R. H., Saillant, J., Miller, F. P.: A method for the determination of serotonin and norepinephrine in discrete areas of rat brain. Int. J. Neuropharmacol. 7, 275–281 (1968).
Miller, F. P., Cox, R. H., Jr., Snodgrass, W. R., Maickel, R. P.: Comparative effects of p-chlorophenylalanine, p-chloroamphetamine and p-chloro-N-methylamphetamine on rats brain norepinephrine, serotonin and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid. Biochem. Pharmacol. 18, 435–442 (1969).
Randrup, A., Munkvad, I.: Sterotyped activities produced by amphetamine in several animal species and man. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 11, 300–310 (1967).
Rickman, E. E., Williams, E. Y., Brown, R. K.: Acute toxic psychiatric reactions related to amphetamine medication. Med. Ann. D.C. 30, 209–212 (1961).
Schuster, C., Dockens, W., Woods, J.: Behavioral variables affecting the development of amphetamine tolerance. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 9, 170–182 (1966).
Schuster, C. R., Zimmerman, J.: Timing behavior during prolonged treatment with d,l-amphetamine. J. exp. Anal. Behav. 4, 327–330 (1961).
Shapiro, S. L., Freedman, L.: Effect of dosage level of amphetamine tartrate on weights of castrate male rats. Arch. int. Pharmacodyn. 112, 419–426 (1957).
Tainter, M.: Effects of certain analeptic drugs on spontaneous running activity of the white rat. J. comp. Psychol. 36, 143–145 (1943).
Tormey, J., Lasagna, L.: Relation of thyroid function to acute and chronic effects of amphetamine in the rat. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther. 128, 201–209 (1960).
Uehling, B. S.: Effects of chronic d-amphetamine sulfate administration during development in rats. Int. J. Neuropharmol. 8, 43–48 (1969).
Weiss, B., Laties, V. G.: Enhancement of human performance by caffeine and the amphetamines. Pharmacol. Rev. 14, 1–36 (1962).
Zieve, L.: Effect of Benzedrine on activity. Psychol. Rec. 1, 343–346 (1937).
Weissmann, A., Koe, B. K., Tenen, S. S.: Antiamphetamine effects following inhibition of tyrozine hydroxylase. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther. 151, 339–352 (1966).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Herman, Z.S., Trzeciak, H., Chruściel, T.L. et al. The influence of prolonged amphetamine treatment and amphetamine withdrawal on brain biogenic amine content and behaviour in the rat. Psychopharmacologia 21, 74–81 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00403998
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00403998