Lack of effect of chronic desipramine treatment on dopaminergic activity in the nucleus accumbens of the rat

Abstract
The binding of [3H]SCH 23390 to dopamine (DA) D1-receptors was measured in the nucleus accumbens of rats treated chronically with desipramine for 14 days. DA D1 — and D2-receptor binding using [3H]SCH 23390 and [3H]spiperone, respectively as ligands, was determined in rats treated for 28 days. NeitherB max norK d values were influenced by chronic desipramine treatment. In addition, chronic desipramine treatment (28 days) did not influence the dose dependent, quinpirole (10–1000 nM)-mediated inhibition of the electrically stimulated release of [3H]DA and [14C]ACh from nucleus accumbens slices or the dose dependent increase in [3H]DA release and decrease in [14C]ACh release in the presence of 1 and 10 μM nomifensine. Therefore, our results suggest that the effect of chronic antidepressant treatment cannot be attributed to changes in either DA D11-or D2-receptor binding or DA D2-receptor function in the nucleus accumbens.