Abstract
Stereotyped sniffing behavior together with forepaw padding — defined as the β-phenylethylamine (PEA) syndrome — is induced by MAO-B inhibitors in rats injected with 30 mg/kg IP PEA. The comparison of the abilities of the MAO-B inhibitors to induce the syndrome and to inhibit MAO-B in rat brain homogenates indicated that at least 75% of MAO-B activity in rat brain had to be inhibited to induce the PEA syndrome. A good correlation was found between the abilities of MAO-B inhibitors to induce the behavioral syndrome and to increase levels of PEA in rat brain. Specific MAO-A inhibitors potentiated the behavioral effect of the MAO-B inhibitor deprenyl, while they did not induce the syndrome themselves or only at very high doses. Inhibitors of the reuptake of 5-HT or noradrenaline were inactive under the described experimental conditions. This behavioral test system seems to be useful in vivo screening test in rats for detecting compounds with strong MAO-B inhibiting activity.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Braestrup C, Andersen H, Randrup A (1975) The monoamine oxidase inhibitor deprenyl potentiates phenylethylamine behaviour in rats without inhibition of catecholamine metabolite formation. Eur J Pharmacol 34:181–187
Braestrup C, Randrup A (1978) Stereotyped behavior in rats induced by phenylethylamine, dependence on dopamine and noradrenaline, and possible relation to psychoses? In: Mosnaim (ed). Noncatecholic phenylethylamines. Marcel Dekker, New York, pp 245–269
Dourish CT (1982) A pharmacological analysis of the hyperactivity syndrome induced by β-phenylethylamine in the mouse. Br J Pharmacol 77:129–139
Durden DA, Philips SR (1980) Kinetic measurements of the turnover rates of phenylethylamine and tryptamine in vivo in the rat brain. J Neurochem 34:1725–1732
Fischer RA (1958) Statistical methods for research workers. 13th ed Oliver and Boyd Ltd, Edinburgh, p 96
Fuller RW, Hemrick SK (1978) Enhanced selectivity of pargyline as an inhibitor of type B monoamine oxidase in harmaline-treated rats. Life Sci 22:1083–1086
Jacobs BL (1976) An animal behavior model for studying central serotonergic synapses. Life Sci 19:777–786
Lauber J, Waldmeier PC (1984) Determination of 2-phenylethylamine in rat brain after MAO inhibitors, and in human CSF and urine by capillary GC and chemical ionization MS. J Neural Transm (in press)
Moja EA, Stoff DM, Gillin JC, Wyatt RJ (1976) Dose-response effects of β-phenylethylamine on stereotyped behavior in pargyline-pretreated rats. Biol Psychiatry 11:731–742
Moretti A, Caccia C, Calderini G, Menozzi M, Amico A (1981) Studies on the mechanism of action of caroxazone, a new antidepressant drug. Biochem Pharmacol 30:2728–2731
Ortmann R, Waldmeier PC, Radeke E, Felner A, Delini-Stula A (1980) The effects of 5-HT uptake- and MAO-inhibitors on l-5-HTP-induced excitation in rats. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch Pharmacol 311:185–192
Reynolds GP, Elsworth JD, Blau K, Sandler M, Lees AJ, Stern GM (1978) Deprenyl is metabolized to metamphetamine and amphetamine in man. Br J Clin Pharmacol 6:542–544
Sloviter RS, Connor JD, Drust EG (1980) Serotonergic properties of β-phenylethylamine in rats. Neuropharmacology 19:1071–1074
Von Voigtlander PF, Losey EG (1975) Inhibition of phenylethylamine metabolism in vivo-effect, of antidepressants. Biochem Pharmacol 25:217–218
Waldmier PC, Baumann P, Maître L (1979) CGP 6085 A a new, specific inhibitor of serotonin uptake: Neurochemical characterization and comparison with other serotonin uptake blockers. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 211:42–49
Waldmeier PC, Baumann PA, Delini-Stula A, Bernasconi R, Sigg K, Buech O, Felner AE (1983) Characterization of a new, shortacting and specific inhibitor of type A monoamine oxidase. Mod Probl Pharmacopsychiatry 19:31–52
Wurtman RJ, Axelrod J (1963) A sensitive and specific assay for the estimation of monoamine oxidase. Biochem Pharmacol 12:1439
Yang H-YT, Neff NH (1974) The monoamine oxidases of brain: Selective inhibition with drugs and the consequences for the metabolism of the biogenic amines. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 189:733–740
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ortmann, R., Schaub, M., Felner, A. et al. Phenylethylamine-induced stereotypies in the rat: a behavioral test system for assessment of MAO-B inhibitors. Psychopharmacology 84, 22–27 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00432018
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00432018