title: Mirtazapine prevents induction and expression of cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization in rats.
abstract: Cocaine abuse is a major health problem worldwide. Treatment based on both 5-HT2A/C and 5-HT3 receptor antagonists attenuate not only the effects of cocaine abuse but also the incentive/motivational effect related to cocaine-paired cues. Mirtazapine, an antagonist of postsynaptic α2-adrenergic, 5-HT2A/C and 5HT3 receptors and inverse agonist of the 5-HT2C receptor, has been shown to effectively modify, at the preclinical and clinical levels, various behavioral alterations induced by drugs abuse. Therefore, it is important to assess whether chronic dosing of mirtazapine alters locomotor effects of cocaine as well as induction and expression of cocaine sensitization. Our results reveal that a daily mirtazapine regimen administered for 30days effectively induces a significant attenuation of cocaine-dependent locomotor activity and as well as the induction and expression of behavioral sensitization. These results suggest that mirtazapine may be used as a potentially effective therapy to attenuate induction and expression of cocaine-induced locomotor sensitization.
authors.affiliation: Subdirección de investigaciones Clínicas, Laboratorio de Neurobiología Molecular y Neuroquímica de las Adicciones, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría, México DF 14370, Mexico.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salazar-Juárez
authors.affiliation: Subdirección de investigaciones Clínicas, Laboratorio de Neurobiología Molecular y Neuroquímica de las Adicciones, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría, México DF 14370, Mexico.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barbosa-Méndez
authors.affiliation: Subdirección de investigaciones Clínicas, Laboratorio de Neurobiología Molecular y Neuroquímica de las Adicciones, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría, México DF 14370, Mexico.
authors.forename: Noe
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jurado
authors.affiliation: Subdirección de investigaciones Clínicas, Laboratorio de Neurobiología Molecular y Neuroquímica de las Adicciones, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría, México DF 14370, Mexico.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hernández-Miramontes
authors.affiliation: Subdirección de investigaciones Clínicas, Laboratorio de Neurobiología Molecular y Neuroquímica de las Adicciones, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría, México DF 14370, Mexico.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leff
authors.affiliation: Subdirección de investigaciones Clínicas, Laboratorio de Neurobiología Molecular y Neuroquímica de las Adicciones, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría, México DF 14370, Mexico. Electronic address: bapags@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Benito
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Antón
mesh_terms: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D059333:Central Nervous System Sensitization / Q000187:drug effects*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008803:Mianserin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000078785:Mirtazapine; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018490:Serotonin Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D018490:Serotonin Agents; D008803:Mianserin; D000078785:Mirtazapine; D003042:Cocaine
keywords: 5-HT receptors; Alpha receptors; Cocaine; Drug addiction; Locomotor sensitization; Mirtazapine; Pharmacotherapy