The hallucinogen d-lysergic acid diethylamide (d-LSD) induces the immediate-early gene c-Fos in rat forebrain.
The hallucinogen d-lysergic acid diethylamide (d-LSD) evokes dramatic somatic and psychological effects. In order to analyze the neural activation induced by this unique psychoactive drug, we tested the hypothesis that expression of the immediate-early gene product c-Fos is induced in specific regions of the rat forebrain by a relatively low, behaviorally active, dose of d-LSD (0.16 mg/kg, i.p.); c-Fos protein expression was assessed at 30 min, and 1, 2 and 4 h following d-LSD injection. A time- and region-dependent expression of c-Fos was observed with a significant increase (P<0.05) in the number of c-Fos-positive cells detected in the anterior cingulate cortex at 1 h, the shell of the nucleus accumbens at 1 and 2 h, the bed nucleus of stria terminalis lateral at 2 h and the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus at 1, 2 and 4 h following systemic d-LSD administration. These data demonstrate a unique pattern of c-Fos expression in the rat forebrain following a relatively low dose of d-LSD and suggest that activation of these forebrain regions contributes to the unique behavioral effects of d-LSD.
Frankel
Paul S
PS
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX 77555-1031, USA. psranke@utmb.edu
Cunningham
Kathryn A
KA
D000818:Animals; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D017781:Genes, Immediate-Early / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D016762:Genes, fos / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D008238:Lysergic Acid Diethylamide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D006213:Hallucinogens; D008238:Lysergic Acid Diethylamide