Effects of the altered serotonergic signalling by neonatal treatment with 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine, ritanserin or clomipramine on the adrenocortical stress response and the glucocorticoid receptor binding in the hippocampus in adult rats

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Abstract
The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of neonatal alterations in 5-HT signalling on the regulation of endocrine stress response in adult rats. The neonatal blockade of 5-HT transmission by 5,7-DHT or ritanserin treatment did not alter the density of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) binding sites in the hippocampus, although a 5,7-DHT-induced lesion was clearly shown to decrease in 5-HT content by greater than 80% in the hippocampus. In addition, the animals pretreated with the blockade of 5-HT transmission during early life did not exhibit a hyperresponsiveness of the adrenocortical response to stress. On the other hand, the neonatal administration of the 5-HT uptake inhibitor, clomipramine, was shown to lower the stress responsiveness of the adrenocortical axis in adulthood.