title: Effects of donepezil, nicotine and haloperidol on the central serotonergic system in mice: implications for Tourette's syndrome.
abstract: We have previously reported that acute and chronic donepezil and nicotine administration significantly attenuate DOI-induced head twitch response (HTR) in mice. This behavior, primarily mediated by stimulation of 5-HT2A receptors, has been proposed to model tic symptoms seen in Tourette's syndrome (TS). Haloperidol, a drug widely used to treat symptoms of TS, has also been reported to reduce DOI-induced head shakes in rodents when administered acutely. These findings suggest an inhibitory interaction of these drugs with 5-HT2A receptors. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the effects of chronic donepezil, nicotine and haloperidol on expression levels of 5-HT2A mRNA and 5-HT2A receptor density in select brain regions. Initially, we established a dose-response relationship for the acute and chronic haloperidol and DOI-induced HTR. Male ICR mice were treated twice daily with donepezil (0.1 mg/kg), nicotine (0.5 mg/kg), and once daily with haloperidol (0.4 mg/kg) for 14 days and were sacrificed 16-18 h after the last injection. These drug regimens were chosen because of their significant effects on DOI-induced HTR. Donepezil significantly increased 5-HT2A mRNA level, but not the receptor density in the striatum. In the midbrain, donepezil significantly decreased the receptor density without affecting the 5-HT2A mRNA level. In the frontal cortex, only haloperidol significantly reduced the 5-HT2A receptor density. The cortex was the only area where donepezil, nicotine and haloperidol significantly reduced the 5-HT2A receptor density. The results suggest that the anti-tic properties of donepezil, nicotine and haloperidol in this paradigm might be due to antagonism of cortical 5-HT2A receptors. Thus, further investigation of involvement of cortical 5-HT2A receptors in TS as well as evaluation of selective 5-HT2A receptor antagonists in this disorder is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Howard University College of Medicine, 520 W Street N.W., Washington, DC 20059, USA.
authors.forename: Renee L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Hayslett
authors.forename: Yousef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tizabi
mesh_terms: D000662:Amphetamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001667:Binding, Competitive / Q000187:drug effects; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000077265:Donepezil; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007189:Indans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007650:Ketanserin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005879:Tourette Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000662:Amphetamines; D007189:Indans; D010880:Piperidines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D009538:Nicotine; D000077265:Donepezil; D007650:Ketanserin; D006220:Haloperidol; C015952:4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenylisopropylamine