Reduction of alcohol selection by pargyline in mice.
Drugs which increase brain levels of serotonin (5-HT) have frequently been found to cause a decrease in voluntary ethanol consumption. Results obtained with parachlorophenylalanine (pCPA), which decreases 5-HT, have been less consistent. The present investigation compared the effects of pCPA on alcohol selection with those of pargyline, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor which increases brain levels of 5-HT. Ingestion of a 10% ethanol solution was assessed in male C57BL/6J mice given daily injections of 250 or 300 mg/kg pCPA, 50 mg/kg pargyline, or saline. An additional control group received no treatment. A two-bottle preference procedure was employed, and ethanol and water intake were recorded during a pretreatment period (11 days), a treatment period (8 days), and a posttreatment period (10 days). Like other agents which increase 5-HT, parygyline produced a depression in ethanol intake which lasted beyond the time of drug administration. pCPa had no effect on ethanol ingestion either during the period of drug administration or afterwards.
D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D004327:Drinking Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D010134:Fenclonine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010293:Pargyline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism
D012701:Serotonin; D010293:Pargyline; D010134:Fenclonine