title: Serotonin agonists cause parallel activation of the sympathoadrenomedullary system and the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis in conscious rats.
abstract: The effects of three potent serotonin (5-HT) agonists with different structures and 5-HT receptor binding profiles on sympathoadrenomedullary and hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis functions were assessed in conscious, freely moving male Sprague-Dawley rats. The 5-HT1A agonist, 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT), the 5-HT1C agonist, m-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP), and the 5-HT2/5-HT1C agonist, 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)2-amino-propane (DOI), all produced marked dose-dependent increases in plasma epinephrine and ACTH concentrations. Both epinephrine and ACTH responses peaked at 10 min and showed strong positive correlations across all drugs and doses studied. Corticosterone increases showed a saturable response pattern and were close to the maximum level with a relatively small (approximately 2.5-fold) increase in plasma ACTH concentrations. Norepinephrine levels showed small dose-dependent increases after 8-OH-DPAT and m-CPP and decreases after DOI treatment. These results suggest that both the sympathoadrenomedullary system and the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis can be activated via 5-HT1 and 5-HT2 receptors and that these two systems may have common or similar regulatory mechanisms triggered by these stimuli.
authors.affiliation: Section on Clinical Neuropharmacology, National Institute of Mental Health, Maryland 20892.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bagdy
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Calogero
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Szemeredi
mesh_terms: D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin; D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000662:Amphetamines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects*; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012016:Reference Values; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013764:Tetrahydronaphthalenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000662:Amphetamines; D009281:Naphthalenes; D010879:Piperazines; D013764:Tetrahydronaphthalenes; D012701:Serotonin; D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; C015952:4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenylisopropylamine; C015068:1-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine; D003345:Corticosterone; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine