The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology

Table of Contents - 2006 - Volume 9, Issue 05  


Clozapine and olanzapine, but not haloperidol, suppress serotonin efflux in the medial prefrontal cortex elicited by phencyclidine and ketamine

Mercè Amargós-Bosch a1, Xavier López-Gil a1, Francesc Artigas a1 and Albert Adell a1c1
a1 Department of Neurochemistry, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques de Barcelona, CSIC (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain

Article author query
amargos-bosch m   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
lopez-gil x   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
artigas f   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
adell a   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 

Abstract

N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists such as phencyclidine (PCP) and ketamine can evoke psychotic symptoms in normal individuals and schizophrenic patients. Here, we have examined the effects of PCP (5 mg/kg) and ketamine (25 mg/kg) on the efflux of serotonin (5-HT) in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and their possible blockade by the antipsychotics, clozapine, olanzapine and haloperidol, as well as ritanserin (5-HT2A/2C receptor antagonist) and prazosin (α1-adrenoceptor antagonist). The systemic administration, but not the local perfusion, of the two NMDA receptor antagonists markedly increased the efflux of 5-HT in the mPFC. The atypical antipsychotics clozapine (1 mg/kg) and olanzapine (1 mg/kg), and prazosin (0.3 mg/kg), but not the classical antipsychotic haloperidol (1 mg/kg), reversed the PCP- and ketamine-induced increase in 5-HT efflux. Ritanserin (5 mg/kg) was able to reverse only the effect of PCP. These findings indicate that an increased serotonergic transmission in the mPFC is a functional consequence of NMDA receptor hypofunction and this effect is blocked by atypical antipsychotic drugs.

(Received March 24 2005)
(Reviewed April 18 2005)
(Revised June 15 2005)
(Accepted June 15 2005)
(Published Online August 15 2005)


Key Words: Clozapine; haloperidol; ketamine; phencyclidine; serotonin.

Correspondence:
c1 Department of Neurochemistry, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques de Barcelona, CSIC (IDIBAPS), Carrer Rosselló 161, 6th Floor, 08036 Barcelona, Spain. Tel.: +34-93-3638321 Fax: +34-93-3638301 E-mail: aacnqi@iibb.csic.es

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