Repeated treatment with amitriptyline reduces immobility in the behavioural 'despair' test in rats by activating dopaminergic and beta-adrenergic mechanisms.
Seven days of treatment with amitriptyline 10 mg kg-1 day-1, reduced the immobility time in the behavioural 'despair' test in rats. 0.5, but not 0.25 mg kg-1 haloperidol significantly counteracted the reduction of immobility caused by amitriptyline. Its anti-immobility effect was reduced by 50 and 100 mg kg-1 sulpiride, another blocker of dopamine receptors, and 5 mg kg-1 (+/-)-propranolol, a beta-adrenolytic drug. Prazosin, 3 mg kg-1, an antagonist of post-synaptic alpha-adrenoceptors, had no effect. It is suggested that dopaminergic and beta-adrenoceptors mediate the anti-immobility effect of repeated amitriptyline treatment in rats.
Borsini
F
F
Nowakowska
E
E
Pulvirenti
L
L
Samanin
R
R
D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000187:drug effects*; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000187:drug effects*; D013469:Sulpiride / Q000494:pharmacology
D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D000639:Amitriptyline; D013469:Sulpiride; D006220:Haloperidol