title: Extracellular serotonin levels change with behavioral state but not with pyrogen-induced hyperthermia.
abstract: Extracellular 5-HT in the anterior hypothalamus/preoptic area (AH/POA) and caudate nucleus of the freely moving cat was measured using in vivo brain microdialysis. Administration of 8-OH-DPAT, a 5-HT1A receptor agonist that decreases 5-HT neuronal activity, decreased extracellular 5-HT in both brain areas. Extracellular 5-HT levels were also examined in relationship to the sleep-wake cycle, because previous data from our laboratory have indicated that behavioral state is the primary determinant of 5-HT neuronal discharge. As with 5-HT neuronal discharge, extracellular 5-HT was increased during active behavioral states and decreased during somnolent periods. These first two sets of findings confirm the ability of the microdialysis technique to measure physiological fluctuations in extracellular 5-HT levels and support the hypothesis that neuronal discharge is a major determinant of extracellular 5-HT levels. Levels of the 5-HT metabolite 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) in the AH/POA were also responsive to changes in behavioral state and administration of 8-OH-DPAT, though fluctuations in extracellular 5-HIAA were less robust and temporally delayed. Finally, extracellular 5-HT and 5-HIAA were examined in the AH/POA during fever induced by systemic injection of the synthetic pyrogen muramyl dipeptide. Previous data from our laboratory have indicated that 5-HT neuronal activity is unaffected by this manipulation, though 5-HT has been implicated specifically in thermoregulation. Pyrogen-induced hypothermia produced no specific change in 5-HT efflux, because any changes noted could be accounted for by behavioral state changes. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that the brain serotonergic system is closely linked to the sleep-wake-arousal cycle. However, extracellular 5-HT may be involved in thermoregulatory processes as part of a global role in modulating neuronal activity in coordination with the behavioral state of the animal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Princeton University, New Jersey 08544.
authors.forename: L O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Auerbach
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Jacobs
mesh_terms: D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D002415:Cats; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000502:physiology*; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced; D007032:Hypothalamus, Anterior / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000502:physiology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013764:Tetrahydronaphthalenes / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D013764:Tetrahydronaphthalenes; D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin