Discriminative stimulus properties of the selective
norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, reboxetine, in rats
by
Dekeyne A, Gobert A, Iob L, Cistarelli L, Melon C, Millan MJ.
Institut de Recherches Servier,
Centre de Recherches de Croissy,
Psychopharmacology Department,
125 Chemin de Ronde,
78290 Croissy-sur-Seine, Paris, France.
Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2001 Nov;158(2):213-8

ABSTRACT

RATIONALE: Although drug discrimination procedures have proven difficult to apply to antidepressant agents, we recently characterized discriminative stimulus properties of the selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitor, citalopram, in rats. However, discriminative stimulus properties of selective norepinephrine (NE) reuptake inhibitors remain to be evaluated. OBJECTIVE: We determined the potential discriminative stimulus properties of the highly selective NE reuptake inhibitor and antidepressant, reboxetine. METHODS: Employing a two-lever discrimination procedure, rats were trained to discriminate reboxetine (2.5 mg/kg, IP) from saline. In parallel, the influence of reboxetine (2.5 mg/kg) upon dialysate levels of monoamines in frontal cortex and dorsal hippocampus of freely moving rats was determined. RESULTS: After 54+/-10 training sessions, reboxetine elicited robust stimulus recognition, fully generalizing to itself with an ED50 of 1.2 mg/kg. Two further NE reuptake inhibitors, desipramine (5.3) and maprotiline (1.8), as well as the 5-HT/NE reuptake inhibitor, venlafaxine (1.0), likewise generalized. In contrast, the 5-HT reuptake inhibitors, paroxetine, citalopram and sertraline, and the DA reuptake inhibitors, GBR12935 and bupropion, did not show significant generalization. Reboxetine markedly increased dialysate levels of NE, but not 5-HT, in frontal cortex and hippocampus. Dopamine (DA) levels were also (though less markedly) enhanced in frontal cortex. CONCLUSION: In parallel with an elevation in extracellular levels of NE, the selective NE reuptake inhibitor, reboxetine, elicits a specific discriminative stimulus in rats.

Efficacy
Reboxetine
Noradrenaline
NARIs and SSRIs
Reboxetine: structure
Reboxetine and the rat
Reboxetine and the elderly
Reboxetine versus fluoxetine
Reboxetine and major depression
Reboxetine and social functioning
Depression, antidepressants and noradrenaline
Reboxetine (Edronax): discriminative stimulus properties


Refs
and further reading

HOME
HedWeb
Nootropics
cocaine.wiki
Future Opioids
BLTC Research
MDMA/Ecstasy
Superhapiness?
Utopian Surgery?
The Abolitionist Project
The Hedonistic Imperative
The Reproductive Revolution
Critique of Huxley's Brave New World

The Good Drug Guide
The Responsible Parent's Guide
To Healthy Mood Boosters For All The Family