CHRONIC AMPHETAMINE ADMINISTRATION TO CATS - BEHAVIORAL AND NEUROCHEMICAL EVIDENCE FOR DECREASED CENTRAL SEROTONERGIC FUNCTION

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 211  (2) , 375-384
Abstract
Chronic administration of amphetamine to cats (twice daily, in doses increasing from 5-15 mg/kg over a 10-day period) elicited a number of behaviors, e.g., limb flick and abortive groom, characteristic of the action of hallucinogenic drugs and dependent on a depression of central serotonergic neurotransmission. This drug treatment produced large decreases (-40 to -60%) in CNS serotonin (5-HT) and its major metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), when measured either 6 or 24 h after the last amphetamine injection. The rate of limb flicking returned to a predrug level approximately 5 days after drug withdrawal, at which time 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels had returned to within 30-40% of base line. Both 5-HT and 5-HIAA returned to base-line levels within 14 days after drug withdrawal. Norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA) and DA metabolites were decreased 60-95% by chronic amphetamine treatment and showed little recovery within the 14 days after drug withdrawal. A 2nd experiment examined the latency to onset of the behavioral and neurochemical changes with a constant dose of amphetamine (7.5 mg/kg, twice daily). Limb flicking was significantly increased above base-line levels following 3 days of amphetamine administration, at which time 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels were decreased 30-40%. NE, DA and DA metabolites were decreased approximately 50-90% by this treatment regimen. A 3rd experiment examined the effects of a low dose of amphetamine (3.75 mg/kg), injected more frequently (every 6 h for 6 days), to approximate the administration pattern in human amphetamine abuse. This treatment produced significant increases in limb flicking and abortive grooming on days 5 and 6 and resulted in 30-40% depletions of 5-HT and 5-HIAA. NE, DA and DA metabolites were decreased by approximately 50-90%. A role for serotonin in amphetamine psychosis and schizophrenia was discussed.