title: Non-amphetaminic mechanism of stimulant locomotor effect of modafinil in mice.
abstract: Previously established dose-response curves indicated that modafinil 20-40 mg/kg i.p. elicited in mice an obvious stimulation of locomotor activity roughly similar to that induced by (+)amphetamine 2-4 mg/kg. The effects of various agents modifying dopamine transmission were compared on the locomotor response to both drugs. The preferential D2 dopamine receptor antagonist haloperidol 37.5-150 micrograms/kg i.p. suppressed the stimulant effect of (+)amphetamine in a dose dependent manner, but not that of modafinil. The D1 dopamine receptor antagonist SCH 23390 (7.5-30 micrograms/kg s.c.) reversed the (+)amphetamine but not the modafinil induced hyperactivity. The tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor alpha-methyl-para-tyrosine (200 mg/kg) suppressed the hyperactivity induced by 4 mg/kg dexamphetamine but not that induced by 20 mg/kg modafinil. Associating L-DOPA 150 mg/kg and benserazide 37.5 mg/kg with (+)amphetamine 2 mg/kg resulted in stereotyped climbing behavior, that was not observed with modafinil 10-80 mg/kg. The profound akinesia induced by reserpine (4 mg/kg s.c.; 5 h before testing) was reversed by (+)amphetamine 2 mg/kg but not by modafinil 40 mg/kg. Finally, on synaptosomes prepared from mouse striata preloaded with [3H]dopamine, modafinil 10(-5) M did not increase the spontaneous [3H]dopamine release whereas (+)amphetamine, at the same concentration, doubled it. From all these differences between the two drugs, it is concluded that the mechanism underlying the modafinil induced stimulant locomotor effect differs completely from that of (+)amphetamine.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Neuropsychopharmacologie expérimentale, Faculté de Médecine et Pharmacie de Rouen, Saint Etienne, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hémet
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ramassamy
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Costentin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001552:Benzazepines / Q000494:pharmacology; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D065127:Dopamine D2 Receptor Antagonists; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008781:Methyltyrosines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D000077408:Modafinil; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D019805:alpha-Methyltyrosine
chemical_list: D001552:Benzazepines; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D065127:Dopamine D2 Receptor Antagonists; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D008781:Methyltyrosines; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1; D019805:alpha-Methyltyrosine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D006220:Haloperidol; D000077408:Modafinil; D003913:Dextroamphetamine; D004298:Dopamine