Psychopharmacology

, Volume 93, Issue 4, pp 534–537 | Cite as

Postsynaptic dopamine (DA) receptor stimulator properties of the putative DA autoreceptor-selective agonist B-HT 920 uncovered by co-treatment with the D-1 agonist SK&F 38393

  • S. Hjorth
  • A. Carlsson
Rapid Communication

Abstract

Postsynaptic dopaminergic behavioural effects of D-2 agonists can be promoted by concomitant D-1 receptor activation. The present experiment explored whether such effects could be elicited by the putative autoreceptor-selective D-2 agonist B-HT 920, when combined with the D-1 agonist SK&F 38393. Except for occasional jerks induced by B-HT 920, neither agonist caused significant dopaminergic stimulation when given separately, whereas combined treatment with SK&F 38393 and B-HT 920 induced clear-cut motor activation — particularly focused stereotyped licking and sniffing — in reserpine/AMT-pretreated rats. Both the D-1 antagonist SCH 23390 and the D-2 antagonist spiperone abolished these effects, while the SK&F/B-HT-induced stimulation was not significantly affected by the alpha2-blocker idazoxan. It appears that classical postsynaptic DA receptor-stimulatory properties of B-HT 920 can indeed be demonstrated, provided that sufficient D-1 receptor tone prevails.

Key words

Dopamine (DA) D-1 DA receptor agonist (SK&F 38393) D-2 DA autoreceptor agonist (B-HT 920) Combination Postsynaptic DA receptor-induced stereotyped behavior Rat 

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1987

Authors and Affiliations

  • S. Hjorth
    • 1
  • A. Carlsson
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of PharmacologyUniversity of GöteborgSweden

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