A dopaminergic mechanism is involved in the "anxiogenic-like" response induced by chronic amphetamine treatment: A behavioral and neurochemical study.

CANCELA, L.M.; BASSO, A.M.; CAPRILES N.R.; MOLINA VICTOR ALEJANDRO

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2001 vol. 909 p. 179 - 179

he purpose of this study was to examine the influence of chronic d-amphetamine (AMPH) treatment (2 mg/kg i.p., for 9 consecutive days) on behavioral and neurochemical responses to a subsequent exposure ? 4 days after the last AMPH injection ? to the elevated plus-maze (EPM), as well as to determine the involvement of a dopaminergic mechanism in that influence. Results showed that chronic AMPH treatment induced an ?anxiogenic-like? response when animals were evaluated in the EPM test. Pretreatment with either haloperidol (HAL, 1 mg/kg i.p., 20 min prior to each injection) or SCH-23390 (0.1 mg/kg i.p., 10 min prior to each injection) completely abolished the chronic AMPH-induced ?anxiogenic-like? effect displayed in the EPM test. However, sulpiride pretreatment (60 mg/kg i.p., 10 min prior to each AMPH injection) did not modify such effect. In addition, rats treated with AMPH and subsequently exposed to the EPM, showed a decrease in the maximal GABA-stimulated chloride uptake in cortica