l-Sulpiride, at a low, non-neuroleptic dose, prevents conditioned fear stress-induced freezing behavior in rats.
Antidepressant drugs are effective in anxiety states, including panic disorder. Both clinical and animal studies indicate that l-sulpiride, at low, non-neuroleptic doses, has antidepressant activity. The present study examined the effect of an antidepressant dose of l-sulpiride (4 mg/kg per day SC), compared with a well-established antidepressant drug (fluoxetine, 3 mg/kg per day SC), in a rat model of anticipatory anxiety/panic behavior: conditioned fear stress-induced freezing behavior. Long-term (26 days) administration of l-sulpiride almost completely abolished freezing, a similar effect being produced by fluoxetine (freezing duration, in seconds: controls, 148.1 +/- 29.6; l-sulpiride, 27.5 +/- 8.3; fluoxetine, 72.0 +/- 15.2). The same doses of l-sulpiride (4 mg/kg SC) and fluoxetine (3 mg/kg SC) had no effect when administered for shorter periods (1, 5, or 12 days). No effect was produced by the long-term (26 days) administration of a neuroleptic dose of l-sulpiride (20 mg/kg per day SC). These results demonstrate that long-term administration of low, non-neuroleptic doses of l-sulpiride, is highly effective in an animal model of anticipatory anxiety/panic behavior.
Cavazzuti
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E
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Modena, Italy. farmacol@unimo.it
Bertolini
A
A
Vergoni
A V
AV
Arletti
R
R
Poggioli
R
R
Forgione
A
A
Benelli
A
A
D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000187:drug effects; D005239:Fear / Q000187:drug effects*; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D013469:Sulpiride / Q000494:pharmacology*
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D005473:Fluoxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D013469:Sulpiride