TY - JOUR
T1 - Alnespirone and buspirone have anxiolytic-like effects in a conflict procedure in rats by stimulating 5-HT(1A) receptors
AU - Cervo, L.
AU - Munoz, C.
AU - Bertaglia, A.
AU - Samanin, Rosario
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - We studied the anxiolytic-like activity of alnespirone and buspirone, two 5-HT(1A) receptor agonists, in a modified Geller-Seifter conflict model, and examined the role of 5-HT(1A) receptors by studying whether WAY-100635, a selective antagonist at these receptors, blocked their effects. Administered s.c. 30 minutes before testing, 0.5 and 1 mg/kg alnespirone significantly increased punished responding, whereas lower doses (0.125 and 0.25 mg/kg) had no effect. At 1 mg/kg, alnespirone significantly reduced the rates of unpunished responding. One dose of buspirone (1 mg/kg) significantly increased punished responding and reduced unpunished responding. Lower doses were ineffective. Administered s.c. 40 minutes before testing, WAY-100635 had no effect on any parameter but completely antagonized the effects of alnespirone (1 mg/kg) and buspirone (1 mg/kg) on punished responding. The ability of buspirone to reduce unpunished responding was not antagonized by WAY-100635, probably reflecting a sedative effect of buspirone due to dopamine D2 receptor blockade. The results suggest that alnespirone and buspirone have anxiolytic-like activity in a conflict procedure by stimulating 5-HT(1A) receptors, presumably at a presynaptic level. Like buspirone, alnespirone may have useful effects in the treatment of anxiety disorders. (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
AB - We studied the anxiolytic-like activity of alnespirone and buspirone, two 5-HT(1A) receptor agonists, in a modified Geller-Seifter conflict model, and examined the role of 5-HT(1A) receptors by studying whether WAY-100635, a selective antagonist at these receptors, blocked their effects. Administered s.c. 30 minutes before testing, 0.5 and 1 mg/kg alnespirone significantly increased punished responding, whereas lower doses (0.125 and 0.25 mg/kg) had no effect. At 1 mg/kg, alnespirone significantly reduced the rates of unpunished responding. One dose of buspirone (1 mg/kg) significantly increased punished responding and reduced unpunished responding. Lower doses were ineffective. Administered s.c. 40 minutes before testing, WAY-100635 had no effect on any parameter but completely antagonized the effects of alnespirone (1 mg/kg) and buspirone (1 mg/kg) on punished responding. The ability of buspirone to reduce unpunished responding was not antagonized by WAY-100635, probably reflecting a sedative effect of buspirone due to dopamine D2 receptor blockade. The results suggest that alnespirone and buspirone have anxiolytic-like activity in a conflict procedure by stimulating 5-HT(1A) receptors, presumably at a presynaptic level. Like buspirone, alnespirone may have useful effects in the treatment of anxiety disorders. (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
KW - 5-HT(1A) receptors
KW - Alnespirone
KW - Anxiolytic activity
KW - Buspirone
KW - Conflict
KW - Rat
KW - WAY-100635
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034021349&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0034021349&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 10877120
AN - SCOPUS:0034021349
VL - 11
SP - 153
EP - 160
JO - Behavioural Pharmacology
JF - Behavioural Pharmacology
SN - 0955-8810
IS - 2
ER -