Long-term amphetamine treatment decreases brain serotonin metabolism: implications for theories of schizophrenia

Science. 1979 Sep 21;205(4412):1295-7. doi: 10.1126/science.572992.

Abstract

Long-term amphetamine administration to cats (a mean of 8.75 milligrams per kilogram twice daily for 10 days) produced large decreases (40 to 67 percent in serotonin and its major metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, in all brain regions examined. This treatment also produced several behaviors that are dependent on depressed central serotonergic neurotransmission, and which normally are elicited exclusively by hallucinogenic drugs. Short-term amphetamine administration (15 mg/kg) did not produce these behaviors and resulted in small decreases in brain serotonin and no change in 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. These data are discussed in the context of monoamine theories of schizophrenia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Brain Chemistry / drug effects*
  • Cats
  • Dextroamphetamine / pharmacology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / metabolism
  • Schizophrenia / physiopathology*
  • Serotonin / metabolism*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Serotonin
  • Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid
  • Dextroamphetamine