The 5-HT1A receptor agonist flesinoxan shares discriminative stimulus properties with some 5-HT2 receptor antagonists

Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1999 Oct;64(2):389-95. doi: 10.1016/s0091-3057(99)00051-9.

Abstract

Ten homing pigeons were trained to discriminate the selective 5-HT1A receptor agonist flesinoxan (0.25 mg/kg p.o.) from its vehicle in a fixed-ratio (FR) 30 two-key operant drug discrimination procedure. The 5-HT2 receptor antagonist mianserin (ED50 = 4.8 mg/kg) fully substituted for flesinoxan, whereas ketanserin, ritanserin, mesulergine, and SB200646A substituted only partially, suggesting an interaction between 5-HT1A and 5-HT2 receptors. However, the 5-HT2 receptor agonists [DOI (0.6 mg/kg), TFMPP (10 mg/kg), mCPP (4 mg/kg)] were unable to antagonize the flesinoxan cue. The 5-HT1A receptor antagonists DU125530 (0.5-13 mg/kg) and WAY100,635 (0.1-1 mg/kg) partially antagonized the generalization of mianserin to flesinoxan. Taken together, these results are in accordance with the hypothesis that 5-HT1A receptor activation exerts an inhibitory effect on activation of 5-HT2 receptors. These results are in broad agreement with existing theories on 5-HT1A and 5-HT2 receptor interaction. Furthermore, it is argued that the discriminative stimulus properties of a drug may undergo qualitative changes with prolonged training.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Columbidae
  • Conditioning, Operant / drug effects
  • Discrimination, Psychological / drug effects*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Generalization, Stimulus / drug effects
  • Mianserin / pharmacology
  • Piperazines / pharmacology*
  • Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A
  • Receptors, Dopamine / drug effects
  • Receptors, Serotonin / drug effects*
  • Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT1
  • Serotonin Antagonists / pharmacology*
  • Serotonin Receptor Agonists / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Piperazines
  • Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A
  • Receptors, Dopamine
  • Receptors, Serotonin
  • Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT1
  • Serotonin Antagonists
  • Serotonin Receptor Agonists
  • Mianserin
  • flesinoxan