title: The behavioural effects of intravenously administered tryptamine in mice.
abstract: The behavioural effects of intravenously administered tryptamine were examined in mice. Tryptamine in a dose greater than 15 mg/kg induced distinct head-weaving and hindlimb abduction. These behavioural syndromes appeared immediately after the injection and disappeared within 3 min. The changes in time course of the behaviour induced by tryptamine were consistent with those of the levels of tryptamine in the brain. Pretreatment with p-chlorophenylalanine, a depleter of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), failed to alter the effects of tryptamine on head-weaving or hindlimb abduction but did result in head-twitches which were never seen after tryptamine alone. Metergoline strongly antagonized the behavior induced by tryptamine. Pirenperone and haloperidol inhibited the behavioural syndrome, antagonizing the head-weaving in particular. alpha-Methyl-p-tyrosine, a depleter of dopamine, reduced the head-weaving without affecting the hindlimb abduction. These results indicate that the 5-HT syndrome induced by intravenous administration of tryptamine is due to the direct effect of tryptamine on the 5-HT receptor. Tryptamine-induced behaviour, especially head-weaving, seems to be linked with dopaminergic neurones.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D008711:Metergoline / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D014363:Tryptamines / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D010880:Piperidines; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D014363:Tryptamines; D008711:Metergoline; D012701:Serotonin; C030820:tryptamine; C030737:indoleacetic acid; D006220:Haloperidol; D004298:Dopamine; C034177:pirenperone