Summary
The decrease in the B max value of 3H-dihydroalprenolol (3H-DHA) binding to cortical membranes of rat brain induced by long-term administration of desipramine (DMI) was prevented by concomitant treatment with parachlorophenylalanine (pCPA).
Acute administration of DMI significantly decreased locomotor activity in saline- and (pCPA)-pretreated rats. DMI-induced inhibition of locomotor activity was abolished in (pCPA)-pretreated rats chronically treated with DMI.
Conversely, in pCPA-pretreated animals, acute DMI could still significantly decrease the locomotion of chronically DMI-treated rats.
The data presented indicated that an intact serotoninergic system is required to enable antidepressant drugs to induce biochemical and behavioral changes following their chronic administration.
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Brunello, N., Volterra, A., Cagiano, R. et al. Biochemical and behavioral changes in rats after prolonged treatment with desipramine: interaction with p-chlorophenylalanine. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 331, 20–22 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00498847
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00498847