The effect of tricyclic antidepressants on cholinergic responses of single cortical neurones.
1 The technique of microelectrophoresis was used in order to study the effects of tricyclic antidepressants on responses of single cortical neurones to acetylcholine. 2 Both potentiation and antagonism of excitatory responses to acetylcholine could be observed after a brief application of imipramine or desipramine. A higher dose of the antidepressant was required to evoke antagonism than to evoke potentiation. 3 Responses to carbachol were affected by desipramine similarly, suggesting the inhibition of cholinesterase is not responsible for the potentiation of cholinergic responses. 4 A brief application of atropine also had a dual effect on responses to acetylcholine. 5 It is suggested that the potentiation of excitatory cholinergic responses by atropine and the antidepressants may be due to the blockade of masked inhibitory receptors.
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002217:Carbachol / Q000494:pharmacology; D002415:Cats; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D003891:Desipramine / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007099:Imipramine / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D012701:Serotonin; D001285:Atropine; D002217:Carbachol; D000109:Acetylcholine; D007099:Imipramine; D003891:Desipramine; D009638:Norepinephrine