Serotonin and sexual behaviour in female rats. Effects of hallucinogenic indolealkylamines and phenylethylamines.
The effects of a number of hallucinogenic indolealkylamines and phenylethylamines on sexual receptivity in female rats have been studied. Preliminary experiments on extensor reflexes (which are highly dependent on serotonin (5-HT) receptor activity) indicated that the drugs possess marked 5-HT receptor agonist properties. All compounds increase sexual receptivity in low doses but inhibit this behaviour in high doses. 5-HT neurones are known to subserve inhibitory mechanisms in the control of receptivity. We suggest that the 5-HT agonists used enhance receptivity by preferentially stimulating presynaptic 5-HT receptors and inhibit receptivity by stimulating postsynaptic 5-HT receptors. Microiontophoretic and microelectrode recording data consistent with this hypothesis are discussed.
Everitt
B J
BJ
Department of Anatomy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, Great Britain; Department of Histology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Fuxe
K
K