Discriminative stimulus properties of 8-OH-DPAT in rats are not altered by pretreatment with para-chlorophenylalanine

Abstract

The role of 5-HT1A autoreceptors in the discriminative stimulus properties of 8-OH-DPAT (0.1 mg/kg, SC) in rats, was investigated. Drug lever appropriate responding to 8-OH-DPAT (0.1 mg/kg, SC) and ipsapirone (3 mg/kg, SC) was measured before and after treatment with para-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA) at a dose (150 mg/kg IP, -3 and -2 days) which causes severe depletion of brain 5-HT stores. The recognition of the drug stimulus was not significantly altered by pCPA. These results indicate that activation of 5-HT1A autoreceptors is of minimal importance to the 8-OH-DPAT cue.