Role of alpha 1 receptors in the behavioural supersensitivity to D2 agonists induced by chronic treatment with imipramine.
Chronic treatment with imipramine increased the locomotor response to quinpirole, a selective D2 receptor agonist. This effect was blocked by minute doses of prazosin (0.1-1 mg/kg), a selective alpha 1 receptor blocker, in a dose-dependent manner. Conversely, in control rats the locomotor response to quinpirole was enhanced by the stimulation of alpha 1 receptors with the selective agonist St 587. The results suggest that alpha 1 receptor stimulation plays a permissive role in the supersensitivity of D2 receptors following chronic treatment with imipramine.
B. B. Brodie Department of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Italy.
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D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004873:Ergolines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007099:Imipramine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D011224:Prazosin / Q000494:pharmacology; D019257:Quinpirole; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha / Q000502:physiology*; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000187:drug effects*; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D015259:Dopamine Agents; D004873:Ergolines; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D019257:Quinpirole; D007099:Imipramine; D011224:Prazosin