Reduction of guinea pig pup isolation calls by anxiolytic and antidepressant drugs

Abstract

 Guinea pigs possess central 5-HT_1D receptors similar to humans but different from rats and mice. In order to study the role of this receptor on animal behaviour, it may be of interest to develop a paradigm measuring affective states in the guinea pig. Therefore we assessed the effects of a variety of psychotropic drugs on guinea pig pup isolation calls. Anxiolytic compounds such as the benzodiazepine receptor agonists diazepam and alprazolam, the full 5-HT_1A receptor agonists 8-OH-DPAT and flesinoxan, and alcohol reduced isolation calling by the guinea pig pup. Moreover, mixed antidepressant/anxiolytic compounds like the 5-HT uptake inhibitors fluvoxamine and clomipramine or the MAO-inhibitor clorgyline as well as the antidepressant NA uptake inhibitors desipramine and maprotiline suppressed vocalizations. The 5-HT_1D/1A receptor agonist 5-CT was also very effective in reducing separation calls. Remarkably, the partial 5-HT_1A receptor agonists buspirone and BMY 7378 did not affect calling. The neuroleptic haloperidol, the psychostimulant d-amphetamine, the putative anxiogenics DMCM and m-CPP and the putative anxiolytics ondansetron and CI-988 had no effect on isolation calls of guinea pig pups. We propose this paradigm could be helpful to assess behavioural effects of anxiolytic and antidepressant drugs in a species different from rat or mouse, and in which the effects of 5-HT_1D receptor ligands may possibly be established.