N -Methyl- d -aspartate Receptor Antagonists Enhance the Head-twitch Response, a 5-Hydroxytryptamine2 Receptor-mediated Behaviour, in Reserpine-treated Mice

Abstract

In this study, N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)-receptor antagonists enhanced the head-twitch response induced by 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in reserpine-treated mice.To minimize the risk of any indirect involvement of NMDA-receptor antagonists (d(-)-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (AP-5), l(-)-3-(2-carboxypiperazine-4-yl)-propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP), (+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydroxy-5H-dibenzo-[a,d]-cyclohepten-5,10-imine (MK-801), ketamine, dextrorphan and dextromethorphan) with 5-HT neurones, vesicle stores of monoamines, especially 5-HT, were depleted with reserpine. In addition, the enhancement of 5-HT-induced head-twitch response was inhibited by apomorphine and NMDA as well as ritanserin in reserpine-treated mice.These results support our previous conclusion that NMDA receptors play important roles in the glutamatergic modulation of 5-HTergic function at the postsynaptic 5-HT2 receptors in mice.