title: Para-chlorophenylalanine, serotonin and killing behavior.
abstract: Both p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) and PCPA methyl ester were found to reliably induce mouse-killing in non-killer rats only when unusually large doses were used (three successive daily injections of 300 mg/kg) and brain serotonin (5-HT) concentration was drastically reduced (about 90 percent). Neither three doses of 100 mg/kg of PCPA nor p-chloroamphetamine (3 times 3.5 mg/kg) caused similar effects in spite of the fact that these compounds depleted brain 5-HT by 85 percent and 60 percent, respectively. PCPA-induced mouse killing was reversed by 5-HTP (100 mg/kg) only when this serotonin precursor completely restored levels of 5-HT. The topography of PCPA-induced killing did not resemble normal interspecies aggression and was also directed toward fat pups. These findings suggest that 5-HT depletion might facilitate nonspecific killing reactions, but is not a sufficient condition to induce the species-specific predatory behavior in rats.
mesh_terms: D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan / Q000494:pharmacology; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D010134:Fenclonine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D013997:Time Factors; D010133:p-Chloroamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D010133:p-Chloroamphetamine; D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan; D010134:Fenclonine