Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Lysergic acid diethylamide: Evidence for stimulation of pituitary dopamine receptors

  • Original Investigations
  • Published:
Psychopharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), 0.05 mg/kg and 0.20 mg/kg, significantly decreased plasma prolactin (PRL) levels in male rats. LSD, 0.20 mg/kg, also inhibits the increase in plasma PRL levels produced by chlorpromazine (CPZ), 5 mg/kg, and alpha-methylparatyrosine (AMPT), 50 mg/kg, both of which interfere with dopaminergic inhibition of PRL secretion. LSD was more potent than methysergide, a serotonin receptor blocker, in lowering plasma PRL levels and more potent than apomorphine, a known direct acting dopamine agonist, in blocking the increase in plasma PRL produced by quipazine, a 5-HT agonist. These results suggest LSD has potent dopamine agonist properties on the rat pituitary or hypothalamic dopamine receptors which directly or indirectly inhibit PRL secretion.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aghajanian, G. K.: Influence of drugs on the firing of serotonin-containing neurons in brain. Fed. Proc. 31, 91–96 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Aghajanian, G. K., Haigler, H. I.: Hallucinogenic indoleamines: preferential action upon presynaptic serotonin receptors. Psychopharmacology Commun. 1, 619–629 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Andén, N.-E., Corrodi, H., Fuxe, K., Hokfelt, T.: Evidence for a central 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor stimulation by lysergic acid diethylamide. Br. J. Pharmacol. 34, 1–7 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Boissier, J. R., Dumont, C., Oberlander, C., Peterfalvi, M.: A comparison of circling behavior induced in nigro-striatal lesioned rats after peripheral administration of indole derivatives. Br. J. Pharmacol. 58, 452 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, G. M., Garfunkel, P. E., Warsh, J. J., Stancer, H. C.: Effect of carbidopa on prolactin, growth hormone and cortisol secretion in man. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 43, 236–239 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckman, M. T., Peake, G. T., Srivastava, L. S.: Endogenous estrogen modulates phenothiazine stimulated prolactin secretion. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 43, 901–906 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Caligaris, L., Talesnik, S.: Involvement of neurones containing 5-hydroxytryptamine in the mechanisms of prolactin release induced by oestrogen. J. Endocrinol. 62, 25–33 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Chase, T. N., Katz, R. I., Kopin, I. J.: Release of [3H[ serotonin from brain slices. J. Neurochem. 16, 607–615 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Clemens, J. A., Sawyer, B. D.: Identification of prolactin in cerebrospinal fluid. Exp. Brain Res. 21, 399–402 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Creese, I., Burt, D., Snyder, S.: The dopamine receptor: differential binding of d-LSD and related agents to agonist and antagonist states. Life Sci. 17, 1715–1720 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Da Prada, M., Saner, A., Burkard, W., Bartholini, G., Pletscher, A.: Lysergic acid diethylamide: evidence for stimulation of central dopamine receptors. Brain Res. 94, 67–73 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixon, A. K.: Evidence of catecholaminergic mediation in the “aberrant” behavior induced by lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in the rat. Experientia (Basel) 24, 743–747 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Diefenbach, W. P., Carmel, P. W., Frantz, A. G., Ferin, M.: Suppression of prolactin secretion by L-Dopa in the stalk-sectioned monkey. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 43, 638–642 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Fanchamps, A., Doepfner, W., Weidmann, H., Cerletti, A.: Pharmakologische Charakterisierung von Deseril, einem Serotonin-Antagonisten. Schweiz. Med. Wschr. 90, 1040–1046 (1960)

    Google Scholar 

  • Fog, R.: Stereotyped and non-stereotyped behavior in rats induced by various stimulant drugs. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 14, 299–304 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaddum, J. H.: Antagonism between lysergic acid diethylamide and 5-hydroxytryptamine. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 121, 15P (1953)

  • Gallo, R. V., Rabii, J., Moberg, G. P.: Effect of methysergide, a blocker of serotonin receptors, on plasma prolactin levels in lactating and ovariectomized rats. Endocrinology 97, 1096–1105 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Grabowska, M., Michaluk, J.: On the role of serotonin in apomorphine induced locomotor stimulation in rats. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 2, 263–266 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirschhorn, I. D., Winter, J. C.: Mescaline and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) as discriminative stimuli. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 22, 64–71 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hong, E., Sancilio, L. F., Vargas, R., Pardo, E. G.: Similarities between the pharmacological actions of quipazine and serotonin. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 6, 274–280 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Iversen, L. L.: Dopamine receptors in the brain. Science 188, 1084–1089 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jalfre, M., Ruch-Monachon, M.-A., Halfely, W.: Methods for assessing the interaction of agents with 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons and receptors in the brain. Adv. Biochem. Psychopharmacol. 10, 121–134 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, P., Iversen, L.: LSD as an agonist at mesolimbic dopamine receptors. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 45, 221–224 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirk, R. E.: Experimental design: procedures for the behavioral sciences, pp. 88–90. Belmont, California: Brooks Cole Publishing Co. 1968

    Google Scholar 

  • Lal, S., de la Vega, C. E., Sourkes, T. L., Friesen, H. G.: Effect of apomorphine on growth hormone, prolactin, luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone levels in human serum. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 37, 719–724 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawson, D. M., Gala, R. R.: The influence of surgery, time of day, blood volume reduction and anesthetics on plasma prolactin in ovariectomized rats. J. Endocrinol. 62, 75–83 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawson, D. M., Gala, R. R.: The interaction of dopaminergic and serotonergic drugs on plasma prolactin in ovariectomized, estrogen-treated rats. Endocrinology 98, 42–47 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu, K. H., Amenomori, Y., Chen, C. L., Meites, J.: Effects of central acting drugs on serum and pituitary prolactin levels in rats. Endocrinology 87, 667–672 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • MacLeod, R. M.: Regulation of prolactin secretion. In: Frontiers in neuroendocrinology, L. Martini and W. F. Ganong, eds., Vol. 4, pp. 169–194. New York, Raven Press 1975

    Google Scholar 

  • Massara, F., Camanni, F., Belforte, L., Molinatti, G. M.: Dopamine-induced inhibition of prolactin and growth hormone secretion in acromegaly. Lancet 1976I, 485

  • Meltzer, H. Y., Daniels, S., Fang, V. S.: Clozapine increases rat serum prolactin levels. Life Sci. 17, 339–342 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Meltzer, H. Y., Fang, V. S.: Effect of apomorphine plus 5-hydroxytryptophan on plasma prolactin levels in male rats. Psychopharmacol. Res. Commun. 2, 189–198 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Meltzer, H. Y., Fang, V. S., Paul, S. M., Kaluskar, R.: Effect of quipazine on rat plasma prolactin levels. Life Sci. 19, 1073–1078 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Meltzer, H. Y., Fang, V. S., Simonovic, M., Paul, S. M.: Effect of metabolites of chlorpromazine on plasma prolactin levels in male rats. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 41, 431–436 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Meltzer, H. Y., Fessler, R. G., Simonovic, M., Fang, V. S.: Effect of indole hallucinogens, mescaline and DMPEA on rat plasma prolactin. Fed. Proc. 36, 984 (1977b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Meltzer, H. Y., Goode, D. J., Fang, V. S.: The effect of psychotropic drugs on endocrine function. I. Neuroleptics, precursors and agonists. In: A review of psychopharmacology: a decade of progress, A. Dimascio and M. Lipton, eds. New York: Raven Press (in press 1977c)

    Google Scholar 

  • Meltzer, H. Y., Paul, S. M., Fang, V. S.: Effect of flupenthixol and butaclamol isomers on prolactin secretion in rats. Psychopharmacology 51, 181–183 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Meltzer, H. Y., Stahl, S.: The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia: a review. Schizophrenia Bull. 2 (1), 11–18 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Milson, J. A., Pycock, C. J.: Effect of drugs acting on cerebral 5-hydroxytryptamine mechanisms on dopamine-dependent turning behavior in mice. Br. J. Pharmacol. 56, 77–85 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mueller, G. P., Simpkins, J., Meites, J., Moore, K. E.: Differential effects of dopamine agonists and haloperidol on release of prolactin, thyroid stimulating hormone, growth hormone and luteinizing hormone in rats. Neuroendocrinology 20, 121–135 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagasawa, H., Meites, J.: Suppression by ergocornine and iproniazid of carcinogen induced mammary tumors in rats: effects on serum and pituitary prolactin levels. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 135, 469–472 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Narebski, J., Romanowski, W., Kadziela, W.: The influence of 1-methyl-d-lysergic butacolamide (Desiril) on EEG changes in rabbits caused by 5-hydroxytryptamine. Acta Physiol. Pol. 14, 154–170 (1963)

    Google Scholar 

  • Pieri, L., Pieri, M., Haefely, W.: LSD as an agonist of dopamine receptors in the striatum. Nature 252, 586–588 (1974) in rats. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 137, 1242–1243 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Quadri, S. K., Meites, J.: LSD-induced decrease in serum prolactin in rats. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 137, 1242–1243 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodriquez, R., Rojas-Ramirez, J. A., Drucker-Colin, R. R. Serotonin-like actions of quipazine on the central nervous system. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 24, 164–171 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sato, M., Sawada, M.: Selective blocking action of LSD on inhibitory dopamine receptors. Neuropharmacology 14, 883–886 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Smalstig, E. B., Sawyer, B. D., Clemens, J. A.: Inhibition of rat prolactin release by apomorphine in vivo and in vitro. Endocrinology 95, 123–129 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, R., Boggan, W., Freedman, D. X.: Effects of single and multiple dose LSD on endogenous levels of brain tyrosine and catecholamines. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 42, 271–276 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stevens, J. R.: An anatomy of schizophrenia? Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 29, 177–189 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Subramanian, M., Gala, R.: The influence of cholinergic, adrenergic, and serotonergic, drugs on the afternoon surge of plasma prolactin in ovariectomized, estrogen-treated rats. Endocrinology 98, 842–848 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Tonge, S. R., Leonard, B. E.: The effects of some hallucinogenic drugs upon the metabolism of 5-hydroxy-tryptamine in the brain. I. Life Sci. 8, 805–814 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ungerstedt, U., Arbuthnott, G. W.: Quantitative recording of rotational behavior in rats after 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the nigrostriatal dopamine system. Brain Res. 24, 485–493 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Von Hungen, K., Roberts, S., Hill, D. P.: LSD as an agonist and antagonist at central dopamine receptors. Nature 252, 588–589 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Von Hungen, K., Roberts, S., Hill, D. P.: Interactions between lysergic acid diethylamide and dopamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase systems in rat brain. Brain Res. 94, 57–66 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Voogt, J. L., Carr, L. A.: Potentiation of suckling-induced release of prolactin by inhibition of brain catecholamine synthesis. Endocrinology 97, 891–897 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Weissman, A., Koe, B. K.: Behavioral effects of l-α-methyltyrosine, an inhibitor of tyrosine hydroxylase. Life Sci. 4, 1037–1048 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wooley, D. W., Shaw, E. A.: A biochemical and pharmacological suggestion about certain mental disorders. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 40, 225–231 (1954)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, USA

    Herbert Y. Meltzer, Miljana Simonovic & John Doherty

  2. Laboratory of Biological Psychiatry, Illinois State Psychiatric Institute, USA

    Herbert Y. Meltzer, Richard G. Fessler & John Doherty

  3. Department of Pharmacology and Physiological Sciences, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, USA

    Miljana Simonovic

  4. Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, USA

    Victor S. Fang

Authors
  1. Herbert Y. Meltzer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Richard G. Fessler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Miljana Simonovic
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. John Doherty
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Victor S. Fang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Meltzer, H.Y., Fessler, R.G., Simonovic, M. et al. Lysergic acid diethylamide: Evidence for stimulation of pituitary dopamine receptors. Psychopharmacology 54, 39–44 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426539

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426539

Key words

Search

Navigation