Failure of ondansetron to block the discriminative or reinforcing stimulus effects of cocaine in the rat

Pharmacokinetic profile of the selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist ondansetron in the rat: an original study and a minireview of the behavioural pharmacological literature in the rat

The availability of agonists and antagonists to modulate the activity of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) type 3 (5-HT3) receptor has renewed interest in its role as a therapeutic target. Ondansetron is a highly selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist that is well tolerated as an anti-emetic for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Preclinical studies in rat have shown the effects of small doses of ondansetron on cognition, behavioural sensitisation, and epilepsy. However, the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of ondansetron in rat has not been described, which limits the translational relevance of these findings. Here, we aim to determine, in the rat, the PK profile of ondansetron in the plasma and to determine associated brain levels. The plasma PK profile was determined following acute subcutaneous administration of ondansetron (0.1, 1, and 10 μg/kg). Brain levels were measured following subcutaneous administration of ondansetron at 1 μg/kg. Plasma and brain levels of ondansetron were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography – tandem mass spectrometry. Following administration of all three doses, measured ondansetron plasma levels (≈30–3000 pg/mL) were below levels achieved with doses usually administered in the clinic, with a rapid absorption phase and a short half-life (≈30–40 min). We also found that brain levels of ondansetron at 1 μg/kg were significantly lower than plasma levels, with brain to plasma ratios of 0.45 and 0.46 in the motor and pre-frontal cortices. We discuss our findings in the context of a minireview of the literature. We hope that our study will be helpful to the design of preclinical studies with therapeutic end-points.

Convergent pharmacological mechanisms in impulsivity and addiction: insights from rodent models

Research over the last two decades has widely demonstrated that impulsivity, in its various forms, is antecedent to the development of drug addiction and an important behavioural trait underlying the inability of addicts to refrain from continued drug use. Impulsivity describes a variety of rapidly and prematurely expressed behaviours that span several domains from impaired response inhibition to an intolerance of delayed rewards, and is a core symptom of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other brain disorders. Various theories have been advanced to explain how impulsivity interacts with addiction both causally and as a consequence of chronic drug abuse; these acknowledge the strong overlaps in neural circuitry and mechanisms between impulsivity and addiction and the seemingly paradoxical treatment of ADHD with stimulant drugs with high abuse potential. Recent years have witnessed unprecedented progress in the elucidation of pharmacological mechanisms underpinning impulsivity. Collectively, this work has significantly improved the prospect for new therapies in ADHD as well as our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the shift from recreational drug use to addiction. In this review, we consider the extent to which pharmacological interventions that target impulsive behaviour are also effective in animal models of addiction. We highlight several promising examples of convergence based on empirical findings in rodent-based studies.

The role of serotonin in drug use and addiction

The use of psychoactive drugs is a wide spread behaviour in human societies. The systematic use of a drug requires the establishment of different drug use-associated behaviours which need to be learned and controlled. However, controlled drug use may develop into compulsive drug use and addiction, a major psychiatric disorder with severe consequences for the individual and society. Here we review the role of the serotonergic (5-HT) system in the establishment of drug use-associated behaviours on the one hand and the transition and maintenance of addiction on the other hand for the drugs: cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA (ecstasy), morphine/heroin, cannabis, alcohol, and nicotine. Results show a crucial, but distinct involvement of the 5-HT system in both processes with considerable overlap between psychostimulant and opioidergic drugs and alcohol. A new functional model suggests specific adaptations in the 5-HT system, which coincide with the establishment of controlled drug use-associated behaviours. These serotonergic adaptations render the nervous system susceptible to the transition to compulsive drug use behaviours and often overlap with genetic risk factors for addiction. Altogether we suggest a new trajectory by which serotonergic neuroadaptations induced by first drug exposure pave the way for the establishment of addiction.

5-HT receptors and reward-related behaviour: a review

The brain's serotonin (5-HT) system is key in the regulation of reward-related behaviours, from eating and drinking to sexual activity. The complexity of studying this system is due, in part, to the fact that 5-HT acts at many receptor subtypes throughout the brain. The recent development of drugs with greater selectivity for individual receptor subtypes has allowed for rapid advancements in our understanding of this system. Use of these drugs in combination with animal models entailing selective reward measures (i.e. intracranial self-stimulation, drug self-administration, conditioned place preference) have resulted in a greater understanding of the pharmacology of reward-related processing and behaviour (particularly regarding drugs of abuse). The putative roles of each 5-HT receptor subtype in the pharmacology of reward are outlined and discussed here. It is concluded that the actions of 5-HT in reward are receptor subtype-dependent (and thus should not be generalized) and that all studied subtypes appear to have a unique profile which is determined by content (e.g. receptor function, localization - both throughout the brain and within the synapse) and context (e.g. type of behavioural paradigm, type of drug). Given evidence of altered reward-related processing and serotonergic function in numerous neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, and addiction, a clearer understanding of the role of 5-HT receptor subtypes in this context may lead to improved drug development and therapeutic approaches.

Behavioral evidence for the significance of serotoninergic (5-HT) receptors in cocaine addiction

Cocaine addiction has somatic, psychological, psychiatric, socio-economic and legal implications in the developed world. Presently, there is no medication approved for the treatment of cocaine addiction. In recent years, data from the literature (pre-clinical studies and clinical trials) have provided several lines of evidence that serotonin (5-HT) and 5-HT receptors play a modulatory role in the mechanisms of action of cocaine. Here we review the contribution of 5-HT receptor subtypes to cocaine sensitization, discrimination, conditioned place preference, self-administration, reinstatement of seeking behavior and withdrawal symptoms in laboratory animals. Additionally, the consequences of chronic cocaine exposure on particular 5-HT receptor-assigned functions in pre-clinical studies are presented.

The role of 5-HT3 receptors in drug abuse and as a target for pharmacotherapy

Alcohol and drug abuse continue to be a major public health problem in the United States and other industrialized nations. Extensive preclinical research indicates the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) pathway and associated regions mediate the rewarding and reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse and natural rewards, such as food and sex. The serotonergic (5-HT) system, in concert with others neurotransmitter systems, plays a key role in modulating neuronal systems within the mesolimbic pathway. A substantial portion of this modulation is mediated by activity at the 5-HT3 receptor. The 5-HT3 receptor is unique among the 5-HT receptors in that it directly gates an ion channel inducing rapid depolarization that, in turn, causes the release of neurotransmitters and/or peptides. Preclinical findings indicate that antagonism of the 5-HT3 receptor in the ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens or amygdala reduces alcohol self-administration and/or alcohol-associated effects. Less is known about the effects of 5-HT3 receptor activity on the self-administration of other drugs of abuse or their associated effects. Clinical findings parallel the preclinical findings such that antagonism of the 5-HT3 receptor reduces alcohol consumption and some of its subjective effects. This review provides an overview of the structure, function, and pharmacology of 5-HT3 receptors, the role of these receptors in regulating DA neurotransmission in mesolimbic brain areas, and discusses data from animal and human studies implicating 5-HT3 receptors as targets for the development of new pharmacological agents to treat addictions.

Reduction in methamphetamine induced sensitization and reinstatement after combined pergolide plus ondansetron treatment during withdrawal

We have previously found the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist ondansetron to be useful in reducing cocaine self-administration and cocaine induced sensitization in rats when given during cocaine withdrawal. More recently we have found the combination of the dopamine agonist pergolide plus ondansetron, 3.5 h later, to reverse cocaine sensitization and associated changes in NMDA and AMPA receptors. Here we tested this drug combination in 1) a methamphetamine sensitization model and 2) a reinstatement model after intravenous methamphetamine self-administration using a nose-poke task. We found pergolide plus ondansetron given from days 3-7 of methamphetamine withdrawal to reverse methamphetamine induced sensitization and attenuate reinstatement. We hypothesize that pergolide may evoke a methamphetamine associated memory and that ondansetron can disrupt its reconsolidation. These data suggest that pergolide plus ondansetron treatment may be useful as a therapy to reduce relapse in methamphetamine abusers.

Determining the region-specific contributions of 5-HT receptors to the psychostimulant effects of cocaine

Cocaine is a drug of abuse that has complex neurochemical and behavioural profiles. When it became evident that models that involve only dopamine do not fully explain the complex effects of cocaine on behaviour, the focus of research expanded to include the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) system in the brain. The 5-HT system comprises several subtypes of 5-HT receptors, which contribute differentially to the various behavioural effects of cocaine. In this article, we describe which subtypes regulate behaviours that are related to cocaine addiction and how they might provide new therapeutic approaches. Numerous subpopulations of each 5-HT receptor can be distinguished according to their location in the brain. We also discuss how these subpopulations relate to the effects of 5-HT-receptor stimulation at the systemic level. These insights provide a new receptor-based approach for understanding the 5-HT mechanisms that subserve the actions of cocaine and possible pharmacotherapies against cocaine addiction.

Ondansetron, given during the acute cocaine withdrawal, attenuates oral cocaine self-administration

We have previously shown that ondansetron, given 3.5 h after intravenous cocaine self-administration, can attenuate self-administration the following day. Here we tested ondansetron given either before or after a 14-h oral cocaine session in rats. Ondansetron (0.2 mg/kg sc) given 30 min before the cocaine session had no effect. However, when given 3.5 h after, ondansetron attenuated cocaine intake the following day while having no effect on water intake. Taken with our previous data in intravenous cocaine self-administration, we suggest that the acute cocaine withdrawal period may be an important treatment window and that ondansetron may be an effective cocaine abuse therapy.

Time-dependent recovery from the effects of 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the rat nucleus accumbens on cocaine self-administration and the levels of dopamine in microdialysates

RATIONALE

Neurotoxin induced lesions of dopamine-releasing neurons that innervate the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) alter cocaine self-administration. In addition, elevated extracellular levels of NAcc dopamine (DA) are thought to be central to the biological mechanisms that underlie this behavior.

OBJECTIVES

This study assessed the long-term effects of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) induced lesions of the NAcc on cocaine self-administration and the dialysate levels of dopamine ([DA](d)) in this structure to determine if recovery of drug intake was correlated with the DA response.

METHODS

Rats implanted with jugular catheters and bilateral cannulas were trained to self-administer cocaine and subsequently received bilateral intracranial micro-injections of 6-OHDA or vehicle into the NAcc. The levels of DA and cocaine were determined in microdialysates of the NAcc collected during experimental sessions 6-7, 14-16, 29-30, and 44-46 days post-treatment.

RESULTS

The 6-OHDA induced lesions significantly reduced cocaine self-administration for 3 weeks while vehicle treatment had a moderate effect for the first several days. Cocaine-induced increases in NAcc [DA](d) did not return to sham/vehicle treated control levels for 6 weeks in the lesioned group and DA content in the NAcc was 46% of control at 44 days post-lesion.

CONCLUSIONS

Although dopaminergic lesions of the NAcc produced profound effects on cocaine self-administration, responding recovered to control levels before cocaine-induced increases in NAcc [DA](d) while content of DA in the NAcc did not recover. These data suggest that the plasticity of neuronal systems in the NAcc related to cocaine self-administration and their response following 6-OHDA lesions is more complex than restoration of DAergic tone.

Agents in Development for the Management of Cocaine Abuse

Cocaine abuse is a serious health problem in many areas of the world, yet there are no proven effective medications for the treatment of cocaine dependence. Preclinical studies suggest that the reinforcing effect of cocaine that promotes its abuse is mediated by blockade of the presynaptic dopamine transporter. This results in increased dopamine activity in the mesolimbic or meso-accumbens dopamine reward system of brain. Development of new medications to treat cocaine dependence has focused on manipulation of this dopamine system, either by direct action on dopamine binding sites (transporter or receptors) or indirectly by affecting other neurotransmitter systems that modulate the dopamine system. In principle, a medication could act via one of three mechanisms: (i) as a substitute for cocaine by producing similar dopamine effects; (ii) as a cocaine antagonist by blocking the binding of cocaine to the dopamine transporter; or (iii) as a modulator of cocaine effects by acting at other than the cocaine binding site. The US National Institute on Drug Abuse has a Clinical Research Efficacy Screening Trial (CREST) programme to rapidly screen existing medications. CREST identified four medications warranting phase II controlled clinical trials: cabergoline, reserpine, sertraline and tiagabine. In addition, disulfiram and selegiline (deprenyl) have been effective and well tolerated in phase II trials. However, selegiline was found ineffective in a recent phase III trial. Promising existing medications probably act via the first or third aforementioned mechanisms. Sustained-release formulations of stimulants such as methylphenidate and amfetamine (amphetamine) have shown promise in a stimulant substitution approach. Disulfiram and selegiline increase brain dopamine concentrations by inhibition of dopamine-catabolising enzymes (dopamine-beta-hydroxylase and monoamine oxidase B, respectively). Cabergoline is a direct dopamine receptor agonist, while reserpine depletes presynaptic stores of dopamine (as well as norepinephrine and serotonin). Sertraline, baclofen and vigabatrin indirectly reduce dopamine activity by increasing activity of neurotransmitters (serotonin and GABA) that inhibit dopamine activity. Promising new medications act via the second or third aforementioned mechanisms. Vanoxerine is a long-acting inhibitor of the dopamine transporter which blocks cocaine binding and reduces cocaine self-administration in animals. Two dopamine receptor ligands that reduce cocaine self-administration in animals are also undergoing phase I human safety trials. Adrogolide is a selective dopamine D(1) receptor agonist; BP 897 is a D(3) receptor partial agonist.A pharmacokinetic approach to treatment would block the entry of cocaine into the brain or enhance its catabolism so that less cocaine reached its site of action. This is being explored in animals using the natural cocaine-metabolising enzyme butyrylcholinesterase (or recombinant versions with enhanced capabilities), catalytic antibodies, and passive or active immunisation to produce anti-cocaine binding antibodies. A recent phase I trial of a "cocaine vaccine" found it to be well tolerated and producing detectable levels of anti-cocaine antibodies for up to 9 months after immunisation.

Effects of ethanol on cocaine discrimination in rats

Ethanol and cocaine are frequently abused in combination, but little is known about how the subjective effects of the two drugs interact. The ability of ethanol and other GABA(A)-active compounds to alter the discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine was tested. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to discriminate cocaine (10 mg/kg ip) from saline using either single- or cumulative-dosing methods. In single-dose testing, ethanol (0.1-0.5 g/kg) dose-dependently decreased cocaine-appropriate responding following the training dose of cocaine. Ethanol (0.5 g/kg) produced a rightward shift in the cocaine cumulative dose-effect curve. Ethanol (0.1-1.0 g/kg) failed to substitute for the discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine and the higher doses (1-2 g/kg) completely suppressed responding. Indirect GABA(A) agonists diazepam (benzodiazepine site) and pentobarbital (barbiturate site) did not block the discriminative stimulus effects of cumulative doses of cocaine. The GABA(A) antagonist pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) (10-40 mg/kg) did not substitute for cocaine. These findings suggest that ethanol can modulate the discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine, and that these effects may not be mediated by the actions of ethanol at the GABA(A) receptor.

5-HT3 receptor ligands lack discriminative stimulus properties

The putative discriminative stimulus of the 5-HT3 receptor antagonists ondansetron and (DL)-11-[(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl]-4,5,6,7,10,11,12-octahydroazepinol[3,2,1-jk]-carbazol-12-one hydrochloride (DU122932), and of the 5-HT3 receptor agonists 2-methyl-5-HT and 3,4-dichlorophenylbiguanide (3,4DCPB) were investigated in a standard two-lever, food-reinforced drug-saline discrimination procedure with groups of rats (N= 10 per group). In three groups of rats after 80 sessions with training doses ranging from 0.1 to 4.0 mg/kg po, stimulus control by ondansetron, DU122932 and 2-methyl-5-HT was still absent. The same 30 animals thereafter rapidly learned to discriminate chlordiazepoxide (CDP) from vehicle. In three other groups of rats, stimulus control by CDP was first established. Then, the vehicle was gradually (from 0.1 to 2.0 mg/kg po) replaced by either ondansetron, DU122932 or 2-methyl-5-HT. Finally, the dose of CDP was gradually decreased. In all three groups, stimulus control disappeared. A seventh group was trained to discriminate 3,4DCPB (5.0 mg/kg po) from saline. When training was not successful, dose and route were changed but discrimination was not attained. It is concluded that in the rat, using the classical two lever discrimination procedure, the 5-HT3 receptor ligands ondansetron, DU122932, 2-methyl-5-HT and 3,4DCPB are incapable of producing an internal state that can act as a stimulus to control responding.

Different treatment regimens and the development of tolerance to nicotine's anxiogenic effects

The effects of different treatment regimens were investigated on the development of tolerance to the anxiogenic effect of nicotine (0.45 mg/kg) in the social interaction test of anxiety. Rats received nicotine (0.45 mg/kg/day) by intravenous injections (5 days/week), subcutaneous injections (5 or 7 days/week) or continuous infusion by osmotic minipump. In all groups, 4 days of nicotine treatment resulted in significant decreases in social interaction compared with the vehicle control groups, without changes in locomotor activity, indicating a specific anxiogenic effect. These significant anxiogenic effects persisted even after 4 weeks of treatment although they were less marked, indicating development of partial tolerance. No significant changes in the time spent in social interaction were found when rats were tested undrugged 24 and 72 h after the termination of nicotine treatment. There was no evidence that the treatment regimen affected the rate of development of tolerance, despite very different peak plasma nicotine concentrations.

Subtle differences in the discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine and GBR-12909

1. In addition to inhibiting the dopamine transporter, cocaine affects a variety of other neurotransmitter systems. In the present study, the involvement of both dopaminergic and the nondopaminergic systems in the behavioral effects of cocaine was studied using an intravenous drug discrimination procedure. 2. One group (Group 1) of rats were trained to discriminate cocaine (1 mg/kg, i.v.) from saline, while a second group (Group 2) of rats were trained to discriminate the same dose of cocaine from both GBR-12909 (1 mg/kg i.v.), a dopamine-selective uptake inhibitor, and saline. 3. Following training, substitution tests with different doses of cocaine and several drugs pharmacologically related to cocaine were conducted. When cocaine dose was varied, there was a dose-dependent generalization to the cocaine-training stimulus in both groups of rats. Conversely, GBR-12909 and GBR-12935, another dopamine-selective uptake inhibitor, generalized to the cocaine-training stimulus in Group 1, but there was minimal or no generalization in Group 2 4. The norepinephrine-selective uptake inhibitors, desipramine and nisoxetine, and the serotonin-selective uptake inhibitor, zimeldine, produced little or no generalization to the cocaine-training stimulus in either group of rats. The sodium channel blocker, dimethocaine which has a relatively high affinity for the dopamine transporter fully generalized to the cocaine stimulus in both groups of rats, while procaine which has a low affinity for the dopamine transporters only partially generalized to the cocaine-training stimulus in both groups of rats 5. Finally, lidocaine, which has negligible affinity for the dopamine transporter, did not generalize to the cocaine-training stimulus in either group of rats. The findings suggest similarities as well as subtle, but important, differences between the discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine and the dopamine uptake inhibitors, GBR-12909 and GBR12935.

5-HT(3) receptor antagonists and anxiety; a preclinical and clinical review

The present paper reviews the evidence for anxiolytic activity of 5-HT(3) receptor antagonists in animal models of anxiety and in clinical trials in humans. Compared to the established anxiolytics (benzodiazepine receptor agonists and, to a lesser extent, 5-HT(1A) receptor agonists) 5-HT(3) receptor antagonists display a different anxiolytic profile. They are anxiolytic in a limited number of animal anxiety models. If active, they often are very potent and display bell-shaped dose response curves, whereas the ratio between therapeutic activity and side effects appears remarkably large. 5-HT(3) receptor antagonists remain active after chronic dosing and no indications for tolerance, dependence or rebound effects were found, which seems to make these drugs an attractive alternative to the benzodiazepines. However, the large body of animal data indicating a complete lack of psychotropic activity of 5-HT(3) receptor antagonists weakens the prediction of anxiolytic activity in these drugs. Human data are also controversial; some investigators have reported positive effects in anxiety disorders (panic disorder, GAD), others did not. It can be concluded that 5-HT(3) receptor antagonists do not represent a breakthrough in the treatment of various anxiety disorders, as initially suggested.

5-HT3 receptor antagonists do not modify cocaine place conditioning or the rise in extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens of rats

Three 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, MDL 72222, tropisetron, and ondansetron were studied for their ability to modify the conditioned place preference (CPP) induced by 10 mg/kg IP cocaine in rats. MDL 72222 (0.03-3 mg/kg SC) and tropisetron (0.01-0.1 mg/kg SC) administered, respectively, 30 min and 1 h before each conditioning session, did not affect the acquisition of cocaine CPP. Ondansetron (0.01-0.1 mg/kg SC) administered 30 min before each conditioning session or just before testing likewise had no effect. At 0.1 mg/kg SC ondansetron did not modify the increase of extracellular dopamine caused by 10 mg/kg cocaine in the nucleus accumbens. The results suggest that 5-HT3 receptor antagonists have no effect on the rewarding properties of cocaine or on the behaviour elicited by the stimuli previously associated with the drug's action.

Nicotine reinstatement of nicotine self-administration after long-term extinction

The effect of non-contingent priming injections of nicotine on the reinstatement of drug-seeking behaviour was studied in rats following the long-term extinction of nicotine self-administration. Male rats were trained to lever press for 0.03 mg/kg per infusion of intravenous nicotine. Nicotine maintained a robust self-administration behaviour (11.5 +/- 1.2; mean+/-SEM infusions/1-h session). When nicotine availability was discontinued, and only a non-contingent saline infusion was presented to the experimental subjects at the beginning of each daily session, responding for the drug-paired lever decreased to low values. After 4-13 sessions, responding extinguished. During this "extinction" period, non-contingent priming infusions of nicotine 0.001, 0.003, 0.01 or 0.03 mg/kg per infusion induced reinstatement of responding for the drug-paired lever. The increased responding, compared with the corresponding previous day on saline, was observed at all four nicotine doses but was not statistically significant for the higher priming dose (0.03 mg/kg per infusion). These preliminary results indicate that nicotine priming is able to induce reinstatement of drug-seeking behaviour in rats similarly to other reinforcing drugs. The present findings show analogies with similar phenomena described in ex-smokers and support the addictive role of nicotine in tobacco smoking.

Studies on the role of 5-HT3 receptors in the mediation of the ethanol interoceptive cue

The drug discrimination test was used to evaluate the role of 5-HT3 receptors in the mediation of the stimulus properties of ethanol in rats trained to discriminate between ethanol (1.0 g/kg, 10% v/v, i.p.) and saline vehicle. Rats trained to discriminate between a lower dose of ethanol (0.5 g/kg i.p.) failed to attain discrimination criteria after 20 weeks (100 sessions) of training. None of the doses of 5-HT3 receptor antagonists (0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1.0, 10.0 mg/kg of tropisetron or ondansetron) administered i.p. 30 min before ethanol, antagonized the discriminative stimulus properties of ethanol. Furthermore, none of the centrally (1, 10, 35 micrograms per rat) or i.p. (0.1, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 mg/kg) administered doses of 5-HT3 receptor agonist, 1-(m-chlorophenyl)-biguanide, could replace the ethanol discriminative cue. These results suggest that 5-HT3 receptors are not primarily involved in the mediation of the stimulus properties of ethanol.

Effects of opioid and dopamine receptor antagonists on relapse induced by stress and re-exposure to heroin in rats

The effects of blockade of opioid and dopamine receptors on relapse to heroin-seeking induced by footshock stress and re-exposure to heroin were examined in a reinstatement procedure. Male rats were trained to self-administer heroin (100 micrograms/kg per infusion, IV; four 3-h sessions/day for 8-11 consecutive days). Extinction sessions were given for 5-7 days during which saline was substituted for heroin. In nine groups, the effects on relapse induced by footshock (10 min, 0.5 mA, 0.5 s on with a mean off period of 40 s), heroin priming (0.25 mg/kg), and saline priming were studied after pretreatment with either naltrexone (1 or 10 mg/kg, SC), the D1-like receptor antagonist SCH 23390 (0.05 or 0.1 mg/kg, IP), the D2-like receptor antagonist raclopride (0.25 or 0.5 mg/kg, IP), the mixed dopamine antagonist flupenthixol decanoate (3 or 6 mg/kg, IM), or IP injection of saline (control condition). Naltrexone, flupenthixol, raclopride, and the highest dose of SCH 23,390 attenuated heroin-induced relapse: only the mixed DA receptor antagonist, flupenthixol, attenuated foot-shock-induced relapse. These results, and those from microdialysis showing that heroin elicits greater locomotor activity and DA release in the nucleus accumbens than footshock, suggest that the neurochemical events underlying stress- and heroin-induced relapse are not identical.

5-HT3 receptor antagonist MDL 72222 dose-dependently attenuates cocaine- and amphetamine-induced elevations of extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens and the dorsal striatum

The effects of a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist MDL 72222 on cocaine- and amphetamine-induced increases in extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens and the dorsal striatum were studied with microdialysis technique using halothane anaesthesized rats. Dopamine and its metabolites were measured by HPLC with electrochemical detection. Cocaine elevated extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens and to a lesser extent in the dorsal striatum, but it did not affect dopamine metabolites, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid. Pretreatment with MDL 72222 (25-100 micrograms/kg) dose-dependently attenuated cocaine-induced elevation of dopamine in both of the nuclei studied. Amphetamine elevated extracellular dopamine and reduced DOPAC and homovanillic acid equally in the nucleus accumbens and in the dorsal striatum. MDL 72222 also attenuated the amphetamine-induced elevation of extracellular dopamine concentration in both brain areas studied, but first at a dose of 100 micrograms/kg. The different potencies of the interactions of the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist with cocaine and amphetamine could be related to the different mechanisms by which these drugs primarily elevate extracellular dopamine.

Dopamine release during cocaine self-administration in rats: effect of SCH23390

This experiment tested the hypotheses that: (1) self-administration of cocaine would produce an increase in dopamine (DA) oxidation current in the nucleus accumbens (n. acc.); and (2) a faster rate of cocaine intake in the presence of a D1 receptor antagonist would produce a greater increase in DA levels. Rats trained to self-administer cocaine under a fixed-ratio 2 schedule were implanted with stearate-modified graphite paste electrodes bilaterally in the n. acc. The effect of pretreatment with the D1 receptor antagonist, SCH23390, on the DA oxidation current associated with self-administration of cocaine (1 mg/inj.) or saline was investigated using chronoamperometry. Pretreatment with SCH23390 produced a 2-fold increase in the amount of cocaine intake. This in turn resulted in a 2-fold increase in the DA oxidation current recorded in the n. acc. Pretreatment with SCH23390 did not, however, produce any significant change in either the number of saline injections received or the DA oxidation current recorded during saline self-administration. These findings show that cocaine increases DA oxidation currents in the n. acc., and that both the rate of cocaine self-administration and the magnitude of these currents increase even further following SCH23390. The results also imply that the baseline rate of cocaine self-administration does not result in the occupation of all possible DA transporter sites.

Facilitating role of m-chlorophenylbiguanide in a cocaine discrimination

To examine the interaction between serotonergic systems and the discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine, the effects of the selective 5-HT3 agonist mCPBG were examined in 46 Sprague-Dawley rats trained to discriminate 10 mg/kg cocaine from saline. mCPBG substitution tests showed partial substitution for the cocaine stimulus. In interaction tests, the combination of mCPBG and low doses of cocaine resulted in increased cocaine lever selection. mCPBG treatment reduced response rates, but not below a 50% criterion. These results point toward a limited modulatory role of serotonergic systems in the cocaine discriminative stimulus.

Discriminative stimulus properties of lithium chloride in rats

1. Adult male rats were trained to discriminate between an injection of lithium chloride (56 or 75 mg/kg) and saline in a two-lever operant chamber during a 20-minute session. 2. On training days, responding on the designated lever was reinforced under a fixed-ratio 20 (FR 20) schedule of food presentation, whereas responding on the other level had no programmed consequences. 3. Generalization testing with LiCl (10-100 mg/kg) was conducted after each subject reached a criterion of nine of ten sessions where 95% of overall responding occurred on the designated lever, and fewer than twenty responses were made on the other lever before presentation of the first reinforcer. 4. Substituting both lower and higher doses produced decreases in responding on the LiCl-appropriate lever while only higher doses decreased overall response rate. 5. Following generalization tests, animals were divided into two groups and varying doses of LiCl were given in combination with intraperitoneal injections of either dexamethasone (1 and 3.2 mg/kg) or ondansetron (0.32 and 1 mg/kg). 6. At doses that had little or no effect alone, neither ondansetron nor dexamethasone pretreatment blocked the discriminative stimulus properties of LiCl. 7. This research shows that LiCl can act as a highly discriminable stimulus in an operant drug-discrimination paradigm and suggests that the stimulus properties of LiCl do not derive from either direct activation of serotonin type-3 receptors or release of adrenocorticotropic hormone.

Effects of monoamine reuptake inhibitors on cocaine self-administration in rats

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of acute administration of monoamine reuptake inhibitors on cocaine self-administration in rats. Pretreatment with GBR 12909 (1-5.6 mg/kg, IV), a dopamine-selective reuptake inhibitor, produced a dose-dependent and large reduction in the self-administration of cocaine (1 mg/kg/infusion). The 3- and 5.6-mg/kg doses of GBR 12909 produced downward shifts in the dose-response curves for cocaine (0.3-3 mg/kg/infusion) self-administration. Unlike GBR 12909, the norepinephrine-selective reuptake inhibitors, desipramine and nisoxetine, at a 10-mg/kg dose produced small, but significant, reductions in the self-administration of cocaine (1 mg/kg/infusion). The 10-mg/kg dose of fluoxetine, a serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitor, produced a small, but not significant, reduction in the self-administration of cocaine. The 10-mg/kg dose of desipramine, nisoxetine, or fluoxetine produced brief respiratory distress and motor abnormalities immediately following IV injections, thereby suggesting that this dose is close to the toxic range for all three drugs. Desipramine, nisoxetine, or fluoxetine at nontoxic doses of 1 and 3 mg/kg had no significant effects on cocaine self-administration. These data indicate that the acute enhancement of endogenous dopaminergic activity by pretreatment with dopamine reuptake inhibitor reduces the total intake of cocaine, thus supporting the hypothesis that the dopamine is critically involved in the reinforcing properties of cocaine. The data also suggest that the acute enhancements in the endogenous norepinephrine or serotonin systems by nontoxic doses of norepinephrine- or serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitors do not appear to alter the reinforcing properties of cocaine.

5HT3 receptor antagonists do not block nicotine induced hyperactivity in rats

The effects of 5-HT3 receptor antagonists (ondansetron 0.1 mg kg-1 SC 30 min; bemesetron 0.03 mg kg-1 SC 45 min) on nicotine-induced increases in locomotor activity were measured in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Intermittent daily injections of nicotine (0.3-1.2 mg kg-1 SC 30 min) resulted in increased locomotor activity as measured by photocell counts. The effect of nicotine was not affected by administration of the 5-HT3 receptor antagonists at doses that are reported to block nicotine- and morphine-induced place-preference conditioning. Neither of the 5-HT3 receptor antagonists tested affected activity counts in vehicle treated animals. Nicotine-induced hyperactivity was blocked by the dopamine antagonist haloperidol (0.03 mg kg-1 SC 2 h) and by the nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine (1 mg kg-1 SC 1 min). The effects of a range of doses (0-1 mg kg-1) of the 5-HT3 receptor antagonists ondansetron, bemesetron, granisetron and tropisetron on hyperactivity induced by 0.6 mg kg-1 nicotine were then assessed. Only tropisetron at 1 mg kg-1 attenuated nicotine-induced hyperactivity. To demonstrate the efficacy of the present range of doses of the 5-HT3 receptor antagonists in this study, conditioned taste aversion experiments were conducted. Ondansetron (0.1 mg kg-1) failed to attenuate a conditioned taste aversion to saccharin induced by nicotine (0.6 mg kg-1), but did induce a reduction in saccharin preference in choice tests following three saccharin-ondansetron pairings.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The discriminative properties of the D1 dopamine agonist dihydrexidine in the rat

The objective of this study was to train rats to discriminate the interoceptive stimuli produced by a selective dopamine D1 agonist. Fourteen male Sprague-Dawley rats acquired the discrimination of the fully effective, high potency, D1 agonist dihydrexidine (DHX) within 20 sessions using a training dose of 3.0 mg/kg. DHX (0.75-4.5 mg/kg) dose-dependently increased DHX-appropriate responding with an ED50 = 1.44 mg/kg. The selective D1 agonist SKF 38398 (2.0-8.0 mg/kg) dose-responsively generalized with an ED50 = 3.54 mg/kg; significantly less potent than DHX. The selective D1 antagonist SCH 23390 (0.06-0.12 mg/kg) dose-responsively decreased DHX-appropriate discriminative performance. These data would indicate that DHX is a selective D1 agonist that may allow for testing of the selectivity of other putative D1 agonists in this experimental procedure. Administration of non-selective dopaminergically active drugs, including apomorphine, amphetamine and cocaine, were each shown to produce intermediate DHX-appropriate discriminative performance.

The role of 5-HT3 receptors in drug dependence

Since the discovery of serotonin receptor subtypes in 1957, the classification of serotonin receptors now includes 5-HT1 through 5-HT7 receptors, with further subtypes of receptors in each family. Unique among this expanding group of 5-HT receptor subtypes is the 5-HT3 receptor, which is the only known 5-HT receptor that directly gates an ion channel. The channel conducts primarily Na+ and K+, resulting in rapid depolarization followed by a rapid desensitization. The immediate consequence of neuronal depolarization resulting from 5-HT3 receptor activation is the release of stored neurotransmitter. The subsequent release of stored neurotransmitter, particularly dopamine in the mesolimbic pathways, suggest a potentially important role for this receptor system in neuronal circuitry involved in drug abuse. The following review broadly covers the structure, function and distribution of the 5-HT3 receptor system in the CNS and data addressing the potential role of this receptor system in modulating the effects of a wide variety of abused drugs. Most of the evidence indicates an association between the ability of 5-HT3 antagonists to decrease mesolimbic dopamine levels and to attenuate the psychomotor stimulant effects of drugs. However 5-HT3 receptor antagonists are less robust at attenuating other drug effects that are believed to be related to their abuse liability, such as discriminative stimulus and reinforcing effects. The one exception may be ethanol, which directly potentiates the effects of 5-HT at the 5-HT3 receptor channel complex. In addition to the implications of an interaction with the mesolimbic dopaminergic system, the ability of 5-HT3 receptor antagonists to function as anxiolytics suggest they could be useful pharmacotherapies during drug withdrawal. However, further studies are needed since currently available 5-HT3 receptor antagonists do not have uniform behavioral effects, may interact with other receptor systems, and have atypical dose-response effects.

Receptor binding profile suggests multiple mechanisms of action are responsible for ibogaine's putative anti-addictive activity

The indole alkaloid ibogaine (NIH 10567, Endabuse) is currently being examined for its potential utility in the treatment of cocaine and opioid addiction. However, a clearly defined molecular mechanism of action for ibogaine's putative anti-addictive properties has not been delineated. Radioligand binding assays targeting over 50 distinct neurotransmitter receptors, ion channels, and select second messenger systems were employed to establish a broad in vitro pharmacological profile for ibogaine. These studies revealed that ibogaine interacted with a wide variety of receptors at concentrations of 1-100 microM. These included the mu, delta, kappa, opiate, 5HT2, 5HT3, and muscarinic1 and 2 receptors, and the dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin uptake sites. In addition, ibogaine interacted with N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) associated ion and sodium ion channels as determined by the inhibition of [3H]MK-801 and [3H]bactrachotoxin A 20-alpha-benzoate binding (BTX-B), respectively. This broad spectrum of activity may in part be responsible for ibogaine's putative anti-addictive activity.

5-HT3 agonist-induced dopamine overflow during withdrawal from continuous or intermittent cocaine administration

This experiment examined alterations in the ability of the highly selective 5-HT3 receptor agonist, 1-(m-chlorophenyl)-biguanide (mCPBG), to induce dopamine (DA) overflow in caudate brain slices obtained from rats withdrawn from continuous or intermittent cocaine administration. Rats were pretreated with 40 mg/kg per day cocaine for 14 days by either subcutaneous injections or osmotic minipumps, and then withdrawn from this regimen for 7 days. Caudate brain slices were obtained, and perfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid. Following an equilibration period, the slices were then perfused with 25, 50, or 100 microM mCPBG. The samples were assayed for DA content by HPLC with electrochemical detection. The results indicated that the pretreatment with intermittent cocaine did not consistently alter the ability of mCPBG to induce DA overflow, although there was a reduction in the amount of DA released by the highest concentration of mCPBG. In contrast, pretreatment with continuous cocaine administration consistently and significantly attenuated the ability of mCPBG to induce DA overflow. The DA overflow induced by mCPBG was partially dependent on extracellular Ca2+ in the perfusion medium for the saline control and intermittent administration subjects: elimination of Ca2+ from the medium significantly reduced, but did not eliminate, DA overflow for these two groups. In contrast, elimination of Ca2+ from the perfusion medium had a significant enhancing effect on mCPBG-induced DA overflow in the continuous administration rats. These results suggest that distinct temporal patterns of cocaine administration differentially alter the ability of a 5-HT3 agonist to increase extracellular DA levels, and that this effect may be related to an impairment of Ca(2+)-dependent release.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The 5 -HT3 receptor antagonists, granisetron and ondansetron, do not affect cocaine-induced shifts in intra-cranial self-stimulation thresholds

The effects of the 5-HT( 3) receptor antagonists, granisetron and ondansetron, were investigated on behaviour maintained by intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS). Rats, implanted with bipolar electrodes in the lateral hypothalamus, were trained to lever press on a continuous reinforcement schedule for positively reinforcing trains of electrical stimulation. The frequency at which responding reached 50% of maximum (M50) and the maximum rate of responding (asymptote) were used to measure drug effects. Granisetron (0.01-0.1 mg/kg i.p ) and ondansetron (0.03-0.3 mg/kg i.p ) had no effect on either parameter. In contrast, cocaine (20 mg/kg i.p ) potentiated rewarded responding, reducing M50 values, but neither granisetron (0.01-3.0 mg/kg i.p ) nor ondansetron (0.03-0.3 mg/kg i.p ) blocked this effect. Neither did granisetron (0.1-10.0 mg/kg i.p ) alter the effect of lower doses of cocaine (10 mg/kg i.p.). These data suggest that 5 -HT( 3) receptors do not play a significant role in mediating responding maintained by ICSS in the rat through hypothalamic electrodes. Neither do they modulate cocaine-induced potentiation of the behaviour.

Lesions of central serotonin systems affect responding on a progressive ratio schedule reinforced either by intravenous cocaine or by food

The effect of intraventricular infusions of the serotonergic neurotoxin, 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT), was examined in rats trained on a progressive ratio schedule for either IV cocaine or food reinforcement. Animals in the 5,7-DHT treatment group responded to significantly higher breaking points than vehicle-injected control animals, regardless of whether food or cocaine was used as the reinforcing stimulus. Analysis of the regional brain amines indicated that depletions of mesencephalic 5-HT correlated with postsurgical alterations in responding. These findings suggest that depletion of forebrain 5-HT produces a general effect on responding rather than a specific alteration in the reinforcing effects of psychomotor stimulant drugs.

Failure of ritanserin to block the discriminative or reinforcing stimulus effects of cocaine

Ritanserin, a 5-HT2/1C antagonist, has been suggested to reduce the preference for cocaine in rats. In the present experiment, the action of ritanserin was investigated in locomotor activity, cocaine drug discrimination, and cocaine self-administration paradigms in rats. A low dose of ritanserin (1.0 mg/kg) was without effect on locomotor activity, while a higher dose (10.0 mg/kg) reduced both horizontal and vertical locomotor activity counts during the first 30 min of the test session. Ritanserin (0.32-32 mg/kg) did not significantly affect the discrimination of 10 mg/kg of cocaine, nor did a dose of 10.0 mg/kg significantly modify the dose-effect curve for cocaine discrimination. Ritanserin (1.0 and 10.0 mg/kg) had no significant effect on the dose-response curve for cocaine self-administration. Thus, ritanserin was without effect against either the discriminative or reinforcing stimulus effects of cocaine, suggesting that ritanserin has limited efficacy as a potential treatment for cocaine abuse.

The effect of 5-HT3 receptor antagonists on the morphine-induced excitation of A10 dopamine cells: electrophysiological studies

In extracellular recordings from chloral hydrate anesthetized rats the 5-HT3 antagonist, BRL 46470A, failed to prevent or reverse the increase in dopamine cell firing rate produced by systemic or iontophoretically applied morphine. A second 5-HT3 antagonist, tropesitron, was similarly found to be ineffective in antagonizing the effects of systemic morphine. These results suggest that previous microdialysis reports that 5-HT3 antagonists can prevent the increase in extracellular dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens produced by morphine are not due to an action of these compounds in suppressing the excitatory effects of morphine on A10 dopamine cell firing rate.

Behavioural pharmacology of 5-HT3 receptor antagonists: a critical update on therapeutic potential

There has been tremendous interest in 5-HT3 receptor antagonists since their discovery and the subsequent identification of 5-HT3 receptors in the CNS. Based on the results of early behavioural tests with these compounds, there has been substantial interest in their potential use for the treatment of various CNS disorders. In this review, Andrew Greenshaw attempts to clarify the status of the therapeutic potential of these drugs, discussing inconsistencies in preclinical findings and identifying areas in need of clarification through future research. 5-HT3 receptor antagonists are claimed to be potentially useful in the treatment of nausea, inflammatory pain (migraine and irritable bowel syndrome), anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, dementia and drug abuse!

Parameters of self-administration of cocaine in rats under a progressive-ratio schedule

Progressive-ratio (PR) schedules may provide a more direct measure of drug-reinforcing efficacy than the more traditionally used fixed-ratio schedules. Under a PR schedule, an increasing number of lever presses is required for the delivery of each successive reinforcer. However, there have been few studies of fundamental parameters of cocaine self-administration under a PR schedule. This study was undertaken to assess if PR responding using cocaine reinforcement in rats would: a) be acquired rapidly; b) be maintained on a stable baseline for long periods; and c) provide data on the effect of changing the dose of cocaine that are amenable to statistical analysis. In addition, the effects of pretreatments with SCH23390, a D1 receptor antagonist, or ondansetron, a 5-hydroxytryptamine3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonist, were tested against several doses of cocaine. Stable performance of PR cocaine self-administration (0.90 mg/kg) was acquired within 10 training sessions and was maintained for over 50 training sessions. Increasing the dose of cocaine from 0.10-2.70 mg/kg resulted in a directly related increase in a) the number of reinforcers obtained, b) the highest ratio completed, and c) the interreinforcer time (ISRT: time between each cocaine infusion). In terms of statistical analysis, the number of reinforcers obtained was found to be preferable to the highest ratio completed as a measure of breakpoint. Pretreatment with SCH23390 significantly reduced the breakpoint; this reduction was not due to a motor-incapacitating effect of SCH23390 because the ISRT showed a tendency to be shortened by SCH23390. Pretreatment with ondansetron failed to significantly affect either the number of reinforcers obtained or the ISRT. These results show that rats can readily acquire the task of self-administration of cocaine under a PR schedule and maintain a stable baseline for an extended period. Further, a PR schedule appears to be suitable for the study of pharmacological treatments that might affect cocaine self-administration. Simultaneous monitoring of the breakpoint and of the ISRT determines if a decrease in the breakpoint is the result of a motor-incapacitating side effect of the pretreatment.

Tolerance to self-administration of cocaine in rats: time course and dose-response determination using a multi-dose method

To assess tolerance to cocaine in a self-administration paradigm, rats were trained to self-administer cocaine (0.25 mg/injection) on a fixed-ratio 2 (FR2) schedule of reinforcement. The development of tolerance was studied during chronic administration of cocaine (20 mg/kg per 8 h for 10 days), given either contingently (self-administered by the rats) or non-contingently (infused by the experimenter). Both contingent and non-contingent administration of cocaine produced comparable tolerance, as indicated by a faster rate of cocaine self-administration (the average inter-reinforcer time, ISRT, decreased significantly). Tolerance developed by day 2 of the chronic regimen and reached a floor value (60% of baseline) from day 4 through day 10. Termination of chronic cocaine then resulted in recovery from tolerance, with ISRTs returning to baseline within 6 days of termination. A second set of experiments determined whether tolerance could be studied using a multi-dose method to obtain dose-response data in a single session. A system of multiple pumps allowed testing of three doses of cocaine during a single experimental session. Cocaine dose-response curves obtained from the multi-dose method: (i) did not differ from that obtained from a single-dose method; (ii) were reproducible; and (iii) were shifted to the right by Schering 23390. Rats were then subjected to a 7-day chronic regimen of infused cocaine (20 mg/kg per 8 h) or infused saline. At the end of this chronic cocaine period, they were tested with the multi-dose method. Chronic cocaine, as compared to chronic saline, shifted the cocaine dose-response curve to the right, indicating that the multi-dose method can be successfully applied to demonstrate tolerance to the effects of cocaine in a self-administration paradigm.

Interactions between 5-HT3 receptors and cerebral dopamine function: implications for the treatment of schizophrenia and psychoactive substance abuse

This article reviews current knowledge on the interaction between 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), acting at 5-HT3 receptors in the CNS, and cerebral dopamine systems. Since 1987, a growing body of behavioural, neurochemical and electrophysiological evidence from animal studies has demonstrated a clear role for 5-HT3 receptors in the modulation of activity of mesolimbic and mesocortical dopamine neurones. This evidence has led to the suggestion that 5-HT3 receptor antagonists have potential as novel antipsychotic agents and may also find use in the treatment of psychoactive substance abuse. Data emerging from clinical studies generally support this hypothesis and suggest that 5-HT3 antagonists may prove to be among the first agents available to treat schizophrenia which are not dopamine D2 antagonists and hence lack their side-effect problems.

Effect of 5-HT3 receptor antagonists on the discriminative stimulus properties of morphine in rats

5-HT3 receptor antagonists, e.g. MDL72222, ondansetron and ICS205-930, have been previously reported to block a morphine (1.5 mg/kg)-induced conditioned place preference in rats. This finding suggests that these drugs may modify the morphine discriminative stimulus which underlies place conditioning. To study this further we have examined the effects of MDL72222, ondansetron and ICS205-930 against a morphine discriminative stimulus using a two-choice, food reinforced, operant paradigm. In an attempt to provide consistency with previous place conditioning studies, a morphine training dose of 1.5 mg/kg was used in addition to a higher 3 mg/kg dose which was studied in separate animals. Stimulus control of behaviour was attained at both morphine training doses, the characteristics of each being consistent with an effect at the mu opioid receptor. Ondansetron (0.001-1 mg/kg), MDL72222 (0.1-3 mg/kg), and ICS205-930 (0.001-1 mg/kg) all failed to consistently antagonise the morphine cue at both training doses, although a mild attenuation was seen in the 1.5 mg/kg group following pretreatment with an intermediate dose of ondansetron and ICS205-930 (both 0.01 mg/kg). The present results therefore suggest hat 5-HT3 antagonists do not block a morphine discriminative state, at least in rats.