Apomorphine-induced aggressive behaviour in para-chlorophenylalanine-treated male rats: implications to brain.
The aim of this study was to investigate the role of serotoninergic neurotransmission and the effect of acute para-chlorophenylalanine (350 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) treatment on apomorphine-induced aggressive behaviour in adult male Wistar rats. In addition, [3H]ketanserin binding and monoamine content were studied. Repeated administration of apomorphine (1.0 mg/kg, subcutaneously, once daily for two weeks) gradually induced aggressive behaviour. Acute p-chlorophenylalanine treatment down-regulated the [3H]ketanserin binding and reduced over 90 per cent the content of serotonin and 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid. In a half of the p-chlorophenylalanine-treated animals, the aggressive behaviour was suppressed, while there was no difference in [3H]ketanserin binding or monoamine content between the p-chlorophenylalanine treated aggressive and non-aggressive animals. In conclusion, the acute p-chlorophenylalanine treatment attenuates the aggressiveness only in half of the animals, while the latter phenomenon is independent on the CNS monoamine content or [3H]ketanserin binding.
Department of Pharmacology, University of Tartu, Estonia. vallo@ut.ee
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Matto
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Vaarmann
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Allikmets
D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000633:toxicity; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000032:analysis; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000633:toxicity; D010134:Fenclonine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007650:Ketanserin / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*
D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D007650:Ketanserin; D001058:Apomorphine; D010134:Fenclonine