Modeling geriatric depression in animals: biochemical and behavioral effects of olfactory bulbectomy in young versus aged rats.
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Geriatric depression exhibits biological and therapeutic differences relative to early-onset depression. We studied olfactory bulbectomy (OBX), a paradigm that shares major features of human depression, in young versus aged rats to determine mechanisms underlying these differences. Young OBX rats showed locomotor hyperactivity and a loss of passive avoidance and tactile startle. In contrast, aged OBX animals maintained avoidance and startle responses but showed greater locomotor stimulation; the aged group also exhibited decreased grooming and suppressed feeding with novel presentation of chocolate milk, effects which were not seen in young OBX. These behavioral contrasts were accompanied by greater atrophy of the frontal/parietal cortex and midbrain in aged OBX. Serotonin transporter sites were increased in the cortex and hippocampus of young OBX rats, but were decreased in the aged OBX group. Cell signaling cascades also showed age-dependent effects, with increased adenylyl cyclase responses to monoaminergic stimulation in young OBX but no change or a decrease in aged OBX. These data indicate that there are biological distinctions in effects of OBX in young and aged animals, which, if present in geriatric depression, provide a mechanistic basis for differences in biological markers and drug responses. OBX may provide a useful animal model with which to test therapeutic interventions for geriatric depression. (+info)
Modulation of noradrenergic neuronal firing by selective serotonin reuptake blockers.
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Using in vivo extracellular unitary recording, the effect of short term (2-day) and long-term (21-day) administration of the selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) paroxetine (10 mg kg(-1) day(-1), s.c. using osmotic minipumps) was examined on the spontaneous firing activity of locus coeruleus noradrenergic neurons. Long-term but not short-term treatment significantly decreased firing activity. Thus, it appears that enhancing 5-HT neurotransmission by sustained SSRI administration leads to a reduction of the firing rate of noradrenergic neurons. The SSRI paroxetine therefore alters the activity of noradrenergic neurons with a delay that is consistent with its therapeutic action in depression and panic disorder. (+info)
Incidence and risk factors for hyponatraemia following treatment with fluoxetine or paroxetine in elderly people.
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AIMS: To establish the incidence, time course and risk factors of hyponatraemia complicating treatment with fluoxetine or paroxetine in an elderly population. METHODS: Retrospective descriptive and case control study in an inpatient/outpatient assessment and rehabilitation service for people aged 65 years and over. Fourteen elderly patients with hyponatraemia complicating treatment with fluoxetine or paroxetine, matched with 56 controls drawn from 845 patients treated with fluoxetine or paroxetine over 3.5 years. No other SSRI antidepressants were used over the study period. RESULTS: The incidence of hyponatraemia was 4.7/1000 people treated/year (6.3/1000 for fluoxetine and 3.5/1000 for paroxetine). Hyponatraemia was detected at a median 13.5 (mean 18.6, range 4-64) days after commencing the drug. Mean (95% confidence intervals) body weights were lower in cases at 53.0 (95% CI 46.5-59.5) kg compared with controls at 64.5 (95% CI 60.1-68.4) kg (P<0.01). 71% of cases were women compared with 45% of controls (P=0.07) but the effect of gender was confounded by body weight. There were trends for cases to be older (odds ratio 1.10: 95% CI 0.99, 1.23) and lighter (odds ratio 0.92, 95% CI 0.86, 0.99). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 1 in 200 elderly people treated per year with fluoxetine or paroxetine developed complicating hyponatraemia. Low body weight was a particular risk factor. Most cases occurred within 3 weeks of treatment. (+info)
Effects of paroxetine hydrochloride, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, on refractory vasovagal syncope: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
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OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to determine whether the well tolerated serotonin reuptake inhibitor paroxetine hydrochloride could prevent vasovagal syncope in patients resistant to or intolerant of previous traditional therapies. BACKGROUND: Serotonergic mechanisms play a major role in the processes leading to neurocardiogenic vasovagal syncope, and serotonin reuptake inhibitors have been reported to be effective in preventing refractory syncope. METHODS: Sixty-eight consecutive patients (26 men and 42 women, mean age 44.7+/-16.5 years) with recurrent syncope and positive head-up tilt test and in whom standard therapies with beta-adrenergic blocking agents, vagolytic, negative inotropic or mineral corticoid agents were ineffectual or poorly tolerated were referred for study. Patients randomly received either paroxetine at 20 mg once a day or a placebo. A head-up tilt test was then reperformed after one month of treatment, and the clinical effect was noted over a mean follow-up of 25.4+/-7.9 months. RESULTS: The response rates (negative tilt test) after one month of treatment were 61.8% versus 38.2% (p < 0.001) in the paroxetine and placebo groups, respectively. During follow-up spontaneous syncope was reported in six patients (17.6%) in the paroxetine group as compared to 18 patients (52.9%) in the placebo group (p < 0.0001). Only one patient (2.9%) asked to be discontinued from the drug for severe side effects. CONCLUSIONS: Paroxetine was found to significantly improve the symptoms of patients with vasovagal syncope unresponsive to or intolerant of traditional medications and was well tolerated by patients. (+info)
Studies on the role of dopamine in the degeneration of 5-HT nerve endings in the brain of Dark Agouti rats following 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or 'ecstasy') administration.
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1. We investigated whether dopamine plays a role in the neurodegeneration of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) nerve endings occurring in Dark Agouti rat brain after 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or 'ecstasy') administration. 2. Haloperidol (2 mg kg(-1) i.p.) injected 5 min prior and 55 min post MDMA (15 mg kg(-1) i.p.) abolished the acute MDMA-induced hyperthermia and attenuated the neurotoxic loss of 5-HT 7 days later. When the rectal temperature of MDMA + haloperidol treated rats was kept elevated, this protective effect was marginal. 3. MDMA (15 mg kg(-1)) increased the dopamine concentration in the dialysate from a striatal microdialysis probe by 800%. L-DOPA (25 mg kg(-1) i.p., plus benserazide, 6.25 mg kg(-1) i.p.) injected 2 h after MDMA (15 mg kg(-1)) enhanced the increase in dopamine in the dialysate, but subsequent neurodegeneration was unaltered. L-DOPA (25 mg kg(-1)) injected before a sub-toxic dose of MDMA (5 mg kg(-1)) failed to induce neurodegeneration. 4. The MDMA-induced increase in free radical formation in the hippocampus (indicated by increased 2,3- and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid in a microdialysis probe perfused with salicylic acid) was unaltered by L-DOPA. 5. The neuroprotective drug clomethiazole (50 mg kg(-1) i.p.) did not influence the MDMA-induced increase in extracellular dopamine. 6. These data suggest that previous observations on the protective effect of haloperidol and potentiating effect of L-DOPA on MDMA-induced neurodegeneration may have resulted from effects on MDMA-induced hyperthermia. 7. The increased extracellular dopamine concentration following MDMA may result from effects of MDMA on dopamine re-uptake, monoamine oxidase and 5-HT release rather than an 'amphetamine-like' action on dopamine release, thus explaining why the drug does not induce degeneration of dopamine nerve endings. (+info)
Effects of (-)-tertatolol, (-)-penbutolol and (+/-)-pindolol in combination with paroxetine on presynaptic 5-HT function: an in vivo microdialysis and electrophysiological study.
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The antidepressant efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) might be enhanced by co-administration of 5-HT1A receptor antagonists. Thus, we have recently shown that the selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist, WAY 100635, blocks the inhibitory effect of an SSRI on 5-HT cell firing, and enhances its ability to elevate extracellular 5-HT in the forebrain. Here we determined whether the beta-adrenoceptor/5-HT1A receptor ligands (+/-)-pindolol, (-)-tertatolol and (-)-penbutolol, interact with paroxetine in a similar manner. Both (-)-tertatolol (2.4 mg kg(-1) i.v.) and (-)-penbutolol (2.4 mg kg(-1) i.v.) enhanced the effect of paroxetine (0.8 mg kg(-1) i.v.) on extracellular 5-HT in the frontal cortex, whilst (+/-)-pindolol (4 mg kg(-1) i.v.) did not. (-)-Tertatolol (2.4 mg kg(-1) i.v.) alone caused a slight increase in 5-HT however, (-)-penbutolol (2.4 mg kg(-1) i.v.) alone had no effect. In electrophysiological studies (-)-tertatolol (2.4 mg kg(-1) i.v.) alone had no effect on 5-HT cell firing but blocked the inhibitory effect of paroxetine. In contrast, (-)-penbutolol (0.1-0.8 mg kg(-1) i.v.) itself inhibited 5-HT cell firing, and this effect was reversed by WAY 100635 (0.1 mg kg(-1) i.v.). We have recently shown that (+/-)-pindolol inhibits 5-HT cell firing via a WAY 100635-sensitive mechanism. Our data suggest that (-)-tertatolol enhances the effect of paroxetine on forebrain 5-HT via blockade of 5-HT1A autoreceptors which mediate paroxetine-induced inhibition of 5-HT cell firing. In comparison, the mechanisms by which (-)-penbutolol enhances the effect of paroxetine on extracellular 5-HT is unclear, since (-)-penbutolol itself appears to have agonist properties at the 5-HT1A autoreceptor. Indeed, the agonist action of (+/-)-pindolol at 5-HT1A autoreceptors probably explains its inability to enhance the effect of paroxetine on 5-HT in the frontal cortex. Overall, our data suggest that both (-)-tertatolol and (-)-penbutolol are superior to (+/-)-pindolol in terms of enhancing the effect of an SSRI on extracellular 5-HT. Both (-)-tertatolol and (-)-penbutolol are worthy of investigation for use as adjuncts to SSRIs in the treatment of major depression. (+info)
Role of the medial prefrontal cortex in 5-HT1A receptor-induced inhibition of 5-HT neuronal activity in the rat.
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1. We examined the involvement of the frontal cortex in the 5-HT2A receptor-induced inhibition of 5-HT neurones in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) of the anaesthetized rat using single-unit recordings complemented by Fos-immunocytochemistry. 2. Both transection of the frontal cortex as well as ablation of the medial region of the prefrontal cortex (mPFC) significantly attenuated the inhibition of 5-HT neurones induced by systemic administration of the 5-HT1A receptor agonist, 8-OH-DPAT (0.5-16 microg kg(-1), i.v.). In comparison, the response to 8-OH-DPAT was not altered by ablation of the parietal cortex. The inhibitory effect of 8-OH-DPAT was reversed by the 5-HT1A receptor antagonist, WAY 100635 (0.1 mg kg(-1), i.v.) in all neurones tested. 3. In contrast, cortical transection did not alter the sensitivity of 5-HT neurones to iontophoretic application of 8-OH-DPAT into the DRN. Similarly, cortical transection did not alter the sensitivity of 5-HT neurones to systemic administration of the selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitor, paroxetine (0.1-0.8 mg kg(-1) , i.v.). 4. 8-OH-DPAT evoked excitation of mPFC neurones at doses (0.5-32 microg kg(-1), i.v.) in the range of those which inhibited 5-HT cell firing. At higher doses (32-512 microg kg(-1), i.v.) 8-OH-DPAT inhibited mPFC neurones. 8-OH-DPAT (0.1 mg kg(-1), s.c.) also induced Fos expression in the mPFC. The neuronal excitation and inhibition, as well as the Fos expression, were antagonized by WAY 100635. 5. These data add further support to the view that the inhibitory effect of 5-HT1A receptor agonists on the firing activity of DRN 5-HT neurones involves, in part, activation of a 5-HT1A receptor-mediated postsynaptic feedback loop centred on the mPFC. (+info)
Diurnal variation in 5-HT1B autoreceptor function in the anterior hypothalamus in vivo: effect of chronic antidepressant drug treatment.
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1. Intracerebral microdialysis was used to examine the function of the terminal 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) autoreceptor in the anterior hypothalamus of anaesthetized rats at two points in the light phase of the light-dark cycle. 2. Infusion of the 5-HT1A/1B agonist 5-methoxy-3-(1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-4-pyridyl)-1H-indole (RU24969) 0.1, 1.0 and 10 microM through the microdialysis probe led to a concentration-dependent decrease (49, 56 and 65% respectively) in 5-HT output. The effect of RU24969 (1 and 5 microM) was prevented by concurrent infusion of methiothepin (1 and 10 microM) into the anterior hypothalamus via the microdialysis probe. Infusion of methiothepin alone (1.0 and 10 microM) increased (15 and 142% respectively) 5-HT output. 3. Infusion of RU24969 (5 microM) through the probe at mid-light and end-light resulted in a quantitatively greater decrease in 5-HT output at end-light compared with mid-light. 4. Following treatment with either paroxetine hydrochloride (10 mg kg(-1) i.p.) or desipramine hydrochloride (10 mg kg)(-1) i.p.) for 21 days the function of the terminal 5-HT1B autoreceptor was more markedly attenuated at end-light. 5. The data show that, as defined by the response to RU24969, the function of the 5-HT1B receptors that control 5-HT output in the anterior hypothalamus is attenuated following chronic desipramine or paroxetine treatment in a time-of-day-dependent manner. (+info)