title: Effects of chronic treatment with escitalopram or citalopram on extracellular 5-HT in the prefrontal cortex of rats: role of 5-HT1A receptors.
abstract: 1 Microdialysis was used to study the acute and chronic effects of escitalopram (S-citalopram; ESCIT) and chronic citalopram (CIT), together with the 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY100,635 (N-[2-[methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl]-N-(2-pyridinyl) cyclohexane carboxamide trihydrochloride) and the 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT), on extracellular 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels in the rat prefrontal cortex. 2 Extracellular 5-HT rose to 234 and 298% of basal values after subcutaneous (s.c.) acute doses of 0.15 and 0.63 mg kg(-1) ESCIT. No further increase was observed at 2.5 mg kg(-1) ESCIT (290%). 3 The effect of 13-day s.c. infusion of 10 mg kg(-1) day(-1) ESCIT on extracellular 5-HT (422% of baseline) was greater than after 2 days (257% of baseline), whereas exposure to ESCIT was similar. In contrast, the increase in extracellular 5-HT induced by the infusion of CIT for 2 (306%) and 13 days (302%) was similar. However, brain and plasma levels of S-citalopram in rats infused with CIT for 13 days were lower than after 2 days. 4 Acute treatment with 2.5 mg kg(-1) ESCIT or 5 mg kg(-1) CIT raised extracellular 5-HT by 243 and 276%, respectively, in rats given chronic vehicle but had no effect in rats given ESCIT (10 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) or CIT (20 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) for 2 or 13 days, suggesting that the infused doses had maximally increased extracellular 5-HT. WAY100,635 (0.1 mg kg(-1) s.c.) increased extracellular 5-HT levels by 168, 174 and 169% of prechallenge values in rats infused with vehicle or ESCIT for 2 or 13 days, respectively. WAY100,635 enhanced extracellular 5-HT levels to 226, 153 and 164% of prechallenge values in rats infused with vehicle or CIT for 2 and 13 days, respectively. 5 8-OH-DPAT (0.025 mg kg(-1)) reduced extracellular 5-HT by 54% in control rats, but had no effect in those given ESCIT and CIT for 13 days. 6 This series of experiments led to the conclusion that chronic treatment with ESCIT desensitizes the 5-HT1A receptors, regulating the release of 5-HT in the prefrontal cortex and enhances the effect of the drug on extracellular 5-HT. They also indicate that chronic treatment with ESCIT and CIT did not prevent WAY100,635 from raising extracellular 5-HT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Via Eritrea 62, 20157 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ceglia
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Acconcia
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fracasso
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colovic
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caccia
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Invernizzi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015283:Citalopram / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015918:Infusion Pumps, Implantable; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A / Q000378:metabolism*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D058825:Serotonin 5-HT1 Receptor Agonists; D058829:Serotonin 5-HT1 Receptor Antagonists; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D058825:Serotonin 5-HT1 Receptor Agonists; D058829:Serotonin 5-HT1 Receptor Antagonists; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D015283:Citalopram; D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A; D012701:Serotonin