Differences in the effects of 5-HT(1A) receptor agonists on forced swimming behavior and brain 5-HT metabolism between low and high aggressive mice

• Published in: Psychopharmacology Vol. 178; no. 2-3; pp. 151 - 160
• Main Authors: Veenema, Alexa H, Cremers, Thomas I F H, Jongsma, Minke E, Steenbergen, Peter J, de Boer, Sietse F, Koolhaas, Jaap M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01-03-2005
• Subjects: 8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin - pharmacology; Adaptation, Psychological - drug effects; Aggression - physiology; Agonistic Behavior - drug effects; Animals; Arousal - drug effects; Arousal - genetics; Brain - drug effects; Escape Reaction - drug effects; Fear - drug effects; Helplessness, Learned; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Motor Activity - drug effects; Piperazines - pharmacology; Reaction Time - drug effects; Reaction Time - genetics; Selection, Genetic; Serotonin - metabolism; Serotonin 5-HT1 Receptor Agonists; Serotonin Receptor Agonists - pharmacology; Swimming
• ISSN: 0033-3158

Male wild house-mice genetically selected for long attack latency (LAL) and short attack latency (SAL) differ in structural and functional properties of postsynaptic serotonergic-1A (5-HT(1A)) receptors. These mouse lines also show divergent behavioral responses in the forced swimming test (FST, i.e., higher immobility by LAL versus SAL mice).
We investigated whether the line difference in 5-HT(1A) receptors is associated with a difference in brain 5-HT metabolism, and whether acute administration of a 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist could differentially affect the behavioral responses of LAL and SAL mice.
5-HT and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels were measured in homogenates of several brain regions using high-performance liquid chromatography. The behavioral effect of the full 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist, 8-OH-DPAT, and of the somatodendritic 5-HT(1A) autoreceptor agonist, S-15535, was examined in the FST. The effect of 8-OH-DPAT on forced swimming-induced 5-HT metabolism in brain homogenates was determined.
In most brain regions, 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels and 5-HT turnover were not significantly different between LAL and SAL mice. 8-OH-DPAT abolished the behavioral line difference in the FST by reducing immobility in LAL mice and reducing climbing in SAL mice. S-15535 induced a similar behavioral effect to 8-OH-DPAT in SAL mice, but did not alter the behavior of LAL mice. Compared with LAL, forced swimming elicited in SAL mice a higher brain 5-HT turnover, which was potently attenuated by 8-OH-DPAT.
It is unlikely that the difference in 5-HT(1A) properties between LAL and SAL mice is an adaptive compensatory reaction to changes in 5-HT metabolism. Although unspecific motor effects, at least in SAL mice, cannot be ruled out, it is suggested that the behavioral effects of 8-OH-DPAT and S-15535 may be mediated by predominant activation of postsynaptic 5-HT(1A) receptors in LAL mice and by presynaptic 5-HT(1A) receptors in SAL mice.