Abstract
Following the IV administration of d-methamphetamine (MA), rats showed slow head shaking (SHS) and stereotyped gnawing (SG) behaviors in a dose-dependent manner. Methysergide, cyproheptadine, and p-chlorophenylalanine given intracerebroventricularly (ICV) or systemically significantly blocked SHS behavior induced by 10 mg/kg MA. Combined administration of l-5-hydroxytryptophan and peripheral decarboxlase inhibitor (Ro 4-4602) enhanced SHS behavior. Tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor (H44/68) blocked SG behaviors, but dopamine-β-hydroxylase inhibitors (FLA 63 and U-14, 624) and combined administration of l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine and Ro 4-4602 enhanced it. These drugs did not affect SHS behavior. Phentolamine, phenoxybenzamine, clonidine, isoproterenol, and propranolol given ICV or systemically showed no effect on either SHS or SG behaviors. These results suggest that SHS behavior is produced by the activation of serotonergic neurons in the central nervous system and are consistent with the view that SG behaviors are mediated through the release of dopamine. Some neuroleptics inhibited SHS as well as SG behaviors, but the order of inhibitory activity of neuroleptics on SHS behavior was quite different from their effects on SG behaviors induced by MA or apomorphine.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andén, N.-E., Corrodi, H., Fuxe, K., Hökfelt, B., Hökfelt, T., Rydin, C., Svensson, T.: Evidence for a central noradrenaline receptor stimulation by clonidine. Life Sci. 9, 513–523 (1970)
Boissier, J. R., Janssen, P. A. J., Julou, L., Loew, D. M., Møller Nielsen, I., Munkvad, I., Randrup, A., Stille, G., Tedeschi, D. H., van Rossum, J. M.: Pharmacology. In: The neuroleptics, D. P. Bobon, P. A. J. Janssen, J. Bobon, eds., pp. 23–70. Basel-München-Paris-New York: Karger 1970
Carlsson, A.: Drugs acting through dopamine release. Pharmacol. Ther. (B) 1, 401–405 (1975)
Corne, S. J., Pickering, R. W., Warner, B. T.: A method for assessing the effect of drugs on the central action of 5-hydroxytryptophan. Br. J. Pharmacol. 20, 106–120 (1963)
De Groot, J.: The rat forebrain in stereotaxic coordinates. Amsterdam: N. V. Noord-Hollandsche Unitgevers Maatschappij 1963
Dingell, J. V., Owens, M. L., Norvich, M. R., Sulser, F.: On the role of norepinephrine biosynthesis in the central action of amphetamine. Life Sci. 6, 1155–1162 (1967)
Ernst, A. M., Smelik, P. G.: Site of action of dopamine and apomorphine on compulsive gnawing behavior in rats. Experimentia 22, 837–838 (1966)
Guilleminault, C.: 5-HTP and the syndrome of intention or action myoclonus as a sequel to hypoxic encephalopathy. In: Serotonin and behavior, J. Barchas, E. Usdin, eds., pp. 443–452. New York-London: Academic 1973
Henning, M., Rubenson, A.: Effects of 5-hydroxytryptophan on arterial blood pressure, body temperature and tissue monoamines in the rat. Acta Pharmacol. Toxicol. (Kbh.) 29, 145–154 (1971)
Holmgren, B., Urba-Holmgren, R., Valdes, M.: Spontaneous and amphetamine induced head-shaking in infant rats. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 5, 23–28 (1976)
Honma, T., Sasajima, K., Ono, K., Kitagawa, S., Inaba, S., Yamamoto, H.: Synthesis and preliminary pharmacology of a novel butyrophenone derivative, ID-4708. Arzneim. Forsch. 24, 1248–1256 (1974)
Honma, T., Fukushima, H.: Correlation between catalepsy and dopamine decrease in the rat striatum induced by neuroleptics. Neuropharmacology 15, 601–607 (1976)
Honma, T., Kitagawa, S.: Effects of minor tranquilizers and neuroleptics on open-field behavior in rats. Folia Pharmacol. Jpn. 73, 337–345 (1977)
Honma, T., Fukushima, H.: Role of brain norepinephrine in neuroleptic-induced catalepsy in rats. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 7, 501–506 (1977)
Honma, T.: Mechanism of methamphetamine toxicity in grouped mice and the effects of centrally acting drugs on its toxicity. Folia Pharmacol. Jpn. 74, 27–36 (1978)
Honma, T., Fukushima, H.: Effects of bilateral lesions in the striatum or nucleus accumbens on the cataleptogenic activity of neuroleptics in rats. Jpn. J. Pharmacol. 28, 231–238 (1978)
Johnson, G. A., Boukma, S. J., Kim, E. G.: In vivo inhibition of dopamine-β-hydroxylase by 1-phenyl-3-(2-thiazolyl)-2-thiourea (U-14624). J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 171, 80–87 (1970)
Koe, B. K., Weissman, A.: p-Chlorophenylalanine: A specific depletor of brain serotonin. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 154, 499–516 (1966)
Langer, S. Z.: Presynaptic receptors and their role in the regulation of transmitter release. Br. J. Pharmacol. 60, 481–497 (1977)
Leysen, J. E., Ladurn, P. M.: A serotonergic component of neuroleptic receptors. Arch. Int. Pharmacodyn. Ther. 230, 337–339 (1977)
Litchfield, J. T., Wilcoxon, F.: A simplified method of evaluating dose-effect experiments. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 96, 99–113 (1949)
Nakamura, M., Fukushima, H., Kitagawa, S.: Effect of amitriptyrine and isocarboxazide on 5-hydroxytryptophan induced head twitches in mice. Psychopharmacology 48, 101–104 (1976)
Pletscher, A., Bartholini, G.: Selective rise in brain dopamine by inhibition of extracerebral levodopa decarboxylation. Clin. Pharmacol. Ther. 12, 344–352 (1971)
Randrup, A., Munkvad, I.: Biochemical, anatomical and psychological investigations of stereotyped behavior induced by amphetamines. In: International symposium on amphetamines and related compounds, E. Costa, S. Garattini, eds., pp. 695–714. New York: Raven 1970
Smith, C. B.: Enhancement by reserpine and α-methyl DOPA of the effects of d-amphetamine upon the locomotor activity of mice. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 142, 343–350 (1963)
Stone, C. A., Wenger, H. C., Ludden, C. T., Stavorski, J. M., Rose, C. A.: Antiserotonin and antihistaminic properties of cyproheptadine. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 131, 73–84 (1961)
Svensson, T. H.: The effect of inhibition of catecholamine synthesis on dexamphetamine-induced central stimulation. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 12, 161–166 (1970)
Svensson, T. H.: Increased dopamine concentration in the striatum in the mouse by FLA 63, a dopamine-β-hydroxylase inhibitor. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 25, 73–75 (1973)
Thornberg, J. E., Moore, K. E.: The relative importance of dopaminergic and noradrenergic neuronal systems for the stimulation of locomotor activity induced by amphetamine and other drugs. Neuropharmacology 12, 853–866 (1973)
Van Riezen, H.: Different central effects of the 5-HT antagonists mianserine and cyproheptadine. Arch. Int. Pharmacodyn. Ther. 198, 256–269 (1972)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Honma, T., Fukushima, H. The involvemet of serotonergic neurons in the central nervous system as the possible mechanism for slow head-shaking behavior induced by methamphetamine in rats. Psychopharmacology 65, 155–159 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00433042
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00433042