The 5-HT7 receptor influences stereotypic behavior in a model of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The 5-HT7 receptor has been suggested as a new putative target for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, especially depression. This hypothesis is based on the finding that antidepressant drugs have relatively high affinity for the 5-HT7 receptor, and that inactivation or blockade of the receptor leads to an antidepressant-like profile in behavioral models and sleep parameters. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is also believed to involve the serotonergic system and is treated using antidepressants, thus it is of interest to study the possible role of the 5-HT7 receptor in this disorder. We have evaluated the effect of inactivation or pharmacological blockade of the 5-HT7 receptor in three mouse behavioral models that are believed to mimic some of the stereotypic aspects of obsessive-compulsive disorder. In the most well-established behavioral model, marble burying, both inactivation and blockade of the 5-HT7 receptor reduced stereotypic behavior in that the number of marbles buried decreased. In two newer, less well-characterized models, head dipping and plastic-mesh screen chewing, there was no difference between wild-type mice and mice lacking the 5-HT7 receptor. Taken together the data confirms and expands on previous findings that the 5-HT7 receptor is of importance for behaviors affected by antidepressants, and suggests that the 5-HT7 receptor might be of relevance as a target for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Hedlund
Peter B
PB
Department of Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. hedlund@scripps.edu
Sutcliffe
J Gregor
JG
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005838:Genotype; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D012701:Serotonin; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; C104425:serotonin 7 receptor