title: Penile erection and yawning induced by 5-HT1C receptor agonists in male rats: relationship with dopaminergic and oxytocinergic transmission.
abstract: 1-(3-Chlorophenyl)piperazine (m-CPP) (0.1-4 mg/kg s.c.) and N-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-piperazine (TFMPP) (0.5-4 mg/kg s.c.), 5-HT1C receptor agonists, but not 8-hydroxy-dipropylamino-tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) (0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg s.c.), a 5-HT1A receptor agonist, induced penile erection and yawning with a U-inverted dose-response curve in male rats. The maximal effect was found with 0.5 mg/kg s.c. of m-CPP and with 1 mg/kg s.c. of TFMPP. The m-CPP (0.5 mg/kg s.c.) and TFMPP (1 mg/kg s.c.) responses were prevented by mianserin (0.2 mg/kg s.c.) and by ritanserin (1 mg/kg s.c.) given 15 min before m-CPP and TFMPP. In contrast, m-CPP- or TFMPP-induced penile erection and yawning were not antagonized by haloperidol (0.1 mg/kg s.c.) or by [d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)2,Orn8]vasotocin (5 micrograms i.c.v.). Apomorphine- and oxytocin-induced penile erection, but not yawning, was also antagonized by mianserin and less effectively by ritanserin. The results suggest that 5-HT1C receptor agonist-induced penile erection and yawning are not mediated by increased dopaminergic and/or oxytocinergic transmission, and raise the possibility that a neuronal dopamine-oxytocin-5-HT link is involved in the control of penile erection and not necessarily of yawning in male rats.
authors.affiliation: Bernard B. Brodie Department of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stancampiano
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Melis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Argiolas
mesh_terms: D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010879:Piperazines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects*; D015000:Yawning / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D010879:Piperazines; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; C018406:1-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)piperazine; D010121:Oxytocin; D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin; D001058:Apomorphine; C015068:1-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine; D004298:Dopamine