title: Early desensitization of somato-dendritic 5-HT1A autoreceptors in rats treated with fluoxetine or paroxetine.
abstract: Electrophysiological and autoradiographic approaches were used to assess possible changes in 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) 5-HT1A receptors in the rat dorsal raphe nucleus after a subchronic treatment with fluoxetine or paroxetine, two specific serotonin reuptake inhibitors with antidepressant properties. Fluoxetine or paroxetine were injected daily (5 mg/kg, i.p.) for various time periods up to 21 days. Electrophysiological recordings performed 24 h after the last injection showed that the potency of the 5-HT1A receptor agonist, 8-OH-DPAT, to depress the firing of serotoninergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus within brain stem slices was significantly reduced as early as after a 3-day treatment with either drug. The proportion of recorded neurons showing desensitization of somatodendritic 5-HT1A autoreceptors increased along the treatment from approximately 40% on the 3rd day to 60-80% on the 21st day. At no time during the treatment, was the specific binding of [3H]8-OH-DPAT (agonist radioligand) or [3H]WAY-100 635 (antagonist radioligand) to 5-HT1A receptors modified in the dorsal raphe nucleus or in other brain areas, suggesting that neither the density nor the coupling of these receptors to G-proteins were probably altered in rats injected with fluoxetine or paroxetine for up to 21 days. These results show that adaptive desensitization of somatodendritic 5-HT1A autoreceptors within the dorsal raphe nucleus can already be detected after a 3-day treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Rather than the desensitization per se, it may be the progressive increase in the number of serotoninergic neurons with desensitized 5-HT1A autoreceptors which plays a critical role in the (slowly developing) antidepressant action of these drugs.
mesh_terms: D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011903:Raphe Nuclei / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D010879:Piperazines; D011725:Pyridines; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D005473:Fluoxetine; D017374:Paroxetine; C090413:N-(2-(4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl)ethyl)-N-(2-pyridinyl)cyclohexanecarboxamide; D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin