An inhibitory role for brain serotonin containing systems in the locomotor effects of d amphetamine
Locomotor activity induced by d amphetamine was found to be potentiated by food deprivation, a tryptophan free diet, p chlorophenylalanine and drugs proposed to antagonize serotonin receptors in brain. Administration of L tryptophan 1 hour prior to d amphetamine injection was found to antagonize the enhanced response to d amphetamine in starved rats and in rats which had tryptophan removed from their diet. However, tryptophan did not block the potentiated response to d amphetamine in animals pretreated with p chlorophenylalanine. These findings suggested that the antagonism of d amphetamine induced activity by tryptophan in starved rats and rats fed a tryptophan free diet was not due to a nonspecific depressant effect of the amino acid. Since accumulation of d amphetamine and its metabolites was not affected by any of the treatments which enhanced its activity, it seems unlikely that an alteration in the metabolism of d amphetamine can explain these findings. The present work provides additional support for the view that serotonergic fibers play an important role in the actions of d amphetamine.
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- Pharmacology & Pharmacy
- 1115 Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences
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Published In
ISSN
Publication Date
Volume
Issue
Start / End Page
Related Subject Headings
- Pharmacology & Pharmacy
- 1115 Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences