title: Selective antiaggressive effect of an alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonist naphthylmedetomidine in mice.
abstract: Alpha-2 adrenoceptors (alpha(2)-ARs) are critically involved in regulating neurotransmitter release from sympathetic nerves and neurons and play an important role in the regulation of awareness, arousal and vigilance. In our recent study, dexmedetomidine, a full alpha(2)-AR agonist, produced antiaggressive effects in the social conflict test in mice at doses that were twice smaller than those producing sedation. The aim of this study was to ascertain antiaggressive effect of a novel drug naphthylmedetomidine, with a more selective alpha(2)-AR activity. Behavioral effects of naphthylmedetomidine (150-1200 microg/kg i.p.) were studied in the activity cage and in the social conflict tests in mice. Naphthylmedetomidine dose dependently decreased aggressive behavior during social conflict in aggressive mice with significant reduction already at the lowest doses tested (150 microg/kg), whereas locomotion and social investigation were significantly decreased only after four times bigger dose of naphthylmedetomidine (600 microg/kg) in aggressive mice. Naphthylmedetomidine had no effect on aggression in nonaggressive mice. Naphthylmedetomidine reduced locomotion in the activity cage significantly only at the highest doses tested (600 and 1200 microg/kg), and this effect was only partially reversed by administration of high doses of an alpha-2 antagonist atipamezole (3 and 10 mg/kg). In nonaggressive mice, the difference between the dose reducing dominant social behavior (social investigation) and locomotion (150 and 300 microg/kg, respectively) was smaller than in aggressive mice. In conclusion, naphthylmedetomidine showed a very strong and selective antiaggressive effect in aggressive mice, which was devoid of locomotion-inhibiting/sedative effect. This study suggests that naphthylmedetomidine may have clinical potential as antiaggressive drug.
authors.affiliation: Charles University in Prague, 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacology Department, Prague, Czech Republic. martin.votava@lf3.cuni.cz
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Votava
authors.forename: Ladislav
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: Miloslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krsiak
mesh_terms: D058647:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists; D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects*; D000378:Agonistic Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects; D004291:Dominance-Subordination; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D020926:Medetomidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D012934:Social Isolation
chemical_list: D058647:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists; D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D020926:Medetomidine