title: Reduced brain serotonin activity disrupts prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex. Effects of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine and p-chlorophenylalanine.
abstract: These experiments examined the impact of extensive depletions of forebrain 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT; serotonin) levels on prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle reflex in rats. In Experiment 1, injection of the neurotoxin 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) into the dorsal and median raphe nuclei disrupted PPI. This deficit was observed beginning 2 days after lesioning and was still apparent 8 weeks later. Basal startle reactivity was not altered. The 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT (0.1 mg/kg) and the dopamine receptor agonist apomorphine (1mg/kg) also disrupted PPI; the effect of 8-OH-DPAT, but not apomorphine, was potentiated in 5-HT-depleted rats. Basal startle reactivity was enhanced by 8-OH-DPAT in sham-lesioned rats but not in 5,7-DHT-lesioned rats. In Experiment 2, a second method for depleting 5-HT was used. The tryptophan hydroxylase inhibitor p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) also disrupted PPI without altering basal startle reactivity. Again, 8-OH-DPAT disrupted PPI in control animals; this effect was not altered in PCPA-treated rats but the increase in basal startle reactivity induced by 8-OH-DPAT was not observed in PCPA-treated rats. Taken together with the results of previous experiments involving drugs that enhance 5-HT neurotransmission it appears that both increases and decreases in 5-HT activity disrupt PPI.
authors.affiliation: Section of Biopsychology, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: Z F
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Selhi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azampanah
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Sills
mesh_terms: D015116:5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D010134:Fenclonine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011903:Raphe Nuclei / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D018490:Serotonin Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014365:Tryptophan Hydroxylase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018490:Serotonin Agents; D015116:5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine; D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D014365:Tryptophan Hydroxylase; D001058:Apomorphine; D010134:Fenclonine; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine