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Continuous exposure to FG 7142: behavioural sensitisation is not accompanied by changes in benzodiazepine/GABA receptor couplingPresent address: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Paisley, Paisley PA1 2BE, UK
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Strathclyde, George Street, Glasgow G1 1XW, UK
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Strathclyde, George Street, Glasgow G1 1XW, UK
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Strathclyde, George Street, Glasgow G1 1XW, UK
Chronic intermittent high-dose treatment with N-methyl-ß-carboline-3-carboxamide (FG 7142) leads to kindling accompanied by reduction in
Key Words: FG 7142 • chronic treatment • sensitisation • elevated plus-maze • benzodiazepine/GABA receptor coupling • rat
Journal of Psychopharmacology, Vol. 9, No. 3,
223-227 (1995) |
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-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor function, whereas chronic continuous administration may result in behavioural effects in the opposite direction from those of acute FG 7142. In the present study, we have investigated the effects of continuous administration of low doses of FG 7142 on the response to an acute challenge dose of FG 7142 in an ethologically based model of anxiety. Rats treated continuously for 14 days with FG 7142 delivered by osmotic minipump at a rate of 1.2-1.5 mg/kg/day showed sensitisation to the anxiogenic effects of a challenge dose of FG 7142 (6 mg/kg), as measured in the elevated plus-maze. This was not accompanied by any change in benzodiazepine/GABA receptor coupling, as assessed by the 'GABA shift'. These results indicate that continuous low-dose treatment with FG 7142 can elicit sensitisation to the behavioural effects of FG 7142, but that this is unlikely to be mediated by changes in benzodiazepine/GABA receptor coupling.