title: Differential effect of chronic desipramine and amitriptyline treatment on rat brain adrenergic and serotonergic receptors.
abstract: Serotonergic and adrenergic receptors were examine in rat brains by direct binding assays after chronic treatment with tricyclic antidepressants. Chronic amitriptyline (AMT) treatment (10 mg/kg/day i.p. for 21 days) decreased specific 3H-spiperone binding in the cortex and not in the caudate nuclei. Specific 3H-dihydroalprenolol (3H-DHA) binding was reduced in cerebellar but not in cerebral cortex. Chronic desipramine (DMI) treatment given in the same dose schedule, on the other hand, decreased specific 3H-DHA binding in both cerebellar and cerebral cortex. Specific 3H-spiperone binding in the cerebral cortex was also reduced but to a lesser extent than that in the AMT treated group. Scatchard analysis showed that reductions in 3H-spiperone or 3H-DHA binding in all cases were due to decreases in number of binding sites (Bmax) and not to changes in dissociation constants (KD). No change was observed in 3H-serotonin (3H-5HT), 3H-clonidine, or 3H-WB-4101 binding. The results show that there is no single common change in brain adrenergic and serotonergic receptors after chronic AMT and DMI treatment.
mesh_terms: D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects; D003000:Clonidine / Q000378:metabolism; D003891:Desipramine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004082:Dihydroalprenolol / Q000378:metabolism; D004146:Dioxanes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D051381:Rats; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic / Q000187:drug effects*; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D013134:Spiperone / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004146:Dioxanes; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D000639:Amitriptyline; D012701:Serotonin; D013134:Spiperone; D004082:Dihydroalprenolol; C010654:(2-(2',6'-dimethoxy)phenoxyethylamino)methylbenzo-1,4-dioxane; D003000:Clonidine; D003891:Desipramine