title: Altered brain serotonergic neurotransmission following caffeine withdrawal produces behavioral deficits in rats.
abstract: Caffeine administration has been shown to enhance performance and memory in rodents and humans while its withdrawal on the other hand produces neurobehavioral deficits which are thought to be mediated by alterations in monoamines neurotransmission. A role of decreased brain 5-HT (5-hydroxytryptamine, serotonin) levels has been implicated in impaired cognitive performance and depression. Memory functions of rats were assessed by Water Maze (WM) and immobility time by Forced Swim Test (FST). The results of this study showed that repeated caffeine administration for 6 days at 30 mg/kg dose significantly increases brain 5-HT (p<0.05) and 5-HIAA (p<0.05) levels and its withdrawal significantly (p<0.05) decreased brain 5-HT levels. A significant decrease in latency time was exhibited by rats in the WM repeatedly injected with caffeine. Withdrawal of caffeine however produced memory deficits and significantly increases the immobility time of rats in FST. The results of this study are linked with caffeine induced alterations in serotonergic neurotransmission and its role in memory and depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Federal Urdu University, Karachi, Pakistan. saima-khaliq@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Saima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khaliq
authors.forename: Saida
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haider
authors.forename: Faizan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Naqvi
authors.forename: Tahira
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Perveen
authors.forename: Sadia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saleem
authors.forename: Darakhshan Jabeen
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Haleem
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002110:Caffeine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D003863:Depression / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D046353:Immobility Response, Tonic / Q000187:drug effects; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D002110:Caffeine; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid