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Improved clinical antidepressant efficacy may result if the acute inhibition of 5-HT cell firing induced by antidepressants is prevented. Here we examined whether inhibition of 5-HT cell firing by non-selective 5-HT uptake inhibiting antidepressant drugs is reversed by a selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist. In addition, we examined whether concomitant blockade of NA uptake offsets the inhibition of 5-HT cell firing resulting from 5-HT uptake blockade. Antidepressants which block 5-HT uptake (paroxetine, clomipramine, amitriptyline, venlafaxine), all caused dose-dependent and complete inhibition of 5-HT cell firing. Desipramine, a selective NA uptake blocker, caused a slight reduction in firing. The selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist, WAY 100635, reversed the inhibition of 5-HT cell firing induced by clomipramine, amitriptyline, venlafaxine, and paroxetine, but not that induced by the alpha 1 adrenoceptor antagonist, prazosin. Desipramine, at a dose which increased extracellular NA in the DRN, reversed the effect of prazosin but did not alter the ability of paroxetine to inhibit 5-HT cell firing. Our data indicate that antidepressant drugs with 5-HT uptake blocking properties inhibit 5-HT cell firing via activation of 5-HT1A autoreceptors, and do so irrespective of their effects on NA uptake. These data are discussed in relation to the application of 5-HT1A receptor antagonists to enhance the clinical efficacy of antidepressant drugs.

Type

Journal article

Journal

Psychopharmacology (Berl)

Publication Date

04/1997

Volume

130

Pages

261 - 268

Keywords

8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin, Action Potentials, Amitriptyline, Animals, Clomipramine, Cyclohexanols, Male, Neurons, Paroxetine, Piperazines, Pyridines, Raphe Nuclei, Rats, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Serotonin, Serotonin Antagonists, Serotonin Receptor Agonists, Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors, Venlafaxine Hydrochloride