title: Regional differences in the effects of forced swimming on extracellular levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid.
abstract: The effects of forced swimming for 30 min on extracellular 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels were examined in five brain regions in rats using in vivo microdialysis. A single dialysis probe was implanted under surgical anesthesia into either the striatum, ventral hippocampus, frontal cortex, amygdala, or lateral septum on the day before the study. Dialysate content of 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) was measured by HPLC. Forced swimming elevated extracellular levels of 5-HT in the striatum to a maximum of 90% above baseline. In contrast, forced swimming reduced 5-HT levels in the amygdala and lateral septum to 50 and 40% of baseline, respectively. In the hippocampus and frontal cortex, 5-HT levels were not altered significantly by forced swimming. In all five brain regions, forced swimming reduced 5-HIAA levels to 45-60% of baseline. These results suggest that forced swimming modulates 5-HT neurotransmission in a regionally specific manner. Aside from being a significant biological stressor, the forced swimming test is used as an animal behavioral model to detect antidepressant drugs, including drugs that alter 5-HT neurotransmission. It is possible that the alterations of extracellular levels of 5-HT produced by forced swimming in certain brain regions may be associated with the ability of antidepressant drugs to selectively alter behavioral performance during the forced swimming test.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104-2649, USA.
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Kirby
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lucki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000378:metabolism*; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism*; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013550:Swimming
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid