Skip to main content
Log in

The effect of acute zimeldine and alaproclate administration on the acquisition of two-way active avoidance: Comparison with other antidepressant agents, test of selectivity and sub-chronic studies

  • Original Investigations
  • Published:
Psychopharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The dose-dependent effect of acute zimeldine and alaproclate treatment upon the acquisition of two-way and one-way active avoidance in the rat was studied in a single-session and in a repeated-sessions design. Zimeldine (5–20 mg/kg, IP), but not alaproclate, caused disruptions of two-way avoidance acquisition. Acquisition deficits were also caused by citalopram and fluoxetine but not the other antidepressant drugs tested. Zimeldine, but not alaproclate or desipramine, caused a slight but non-significant impairment of one-way active avoidance; neither zimeldine nor alaproclate produced any effects upon fear conditioning and retention testing. The long-term action of p-chloroamphetamine (2×10 mg/kg) antagonised the acute zimeldine effect totally, and chronic treatment with zimeldine (15 days, 1×50 μmol/kg) and chlorimipramine (15 days, 2×10 μmol/kg) also caused some partial blockade of the two-way avoidance deficit. These data seem to suggest some involvement of serotonin (5-HT) in the observed disruptions of two-way active avoidance caused by acute zimeldine treatment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Archer T (1982a) DSP4 (N-2-chloroethyl-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzyl-amine), a new noradrenaline neurotoxin, and the stimulus conditions affecting acquisition of two-way active avoidance. J Comp Physiol Psychol 96:476–490

    Google Scholar 

  • Archer T (1982b) Serotonin and fear retention in the rat. J Comp Physiol Psychol 96:491–516

    Google Scholar 

  • Archer T (1982c) Signalled and unsignalled avoidance impairments following noradrenaline depletion with DSP4: an hypothesis incorporating an associative and non-associative factor. Scand J Psychol 1983:75–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Archer T, Ögren SO, Johansson C (1981) The acute effect of p-chloroamphetamine on the retention of fear conditioning in the rat: Evidence for a role of serotonin in memory consolidation. Neurosci Lett 25:75–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumann PA, Maitre L (1977) Blockade of presynaptic α-receptors and of amine uptake in the rat brain by the antidepressant mianserine. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch Pharmacol 300:31–37

    Google Scholar 

  • Essman WB (1970) Some neurochemical correlates of altered memory consolidation. Trans NY Acad Sci 32:948–973

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuller RW, Perry KW, Molloy B (1974) Effect of an uptake inhibitor on serotonin metabolism in rat brain: studies with 3-(p-trifluormethylphenoxy-)-N-methyl-3-phenylpropylamine (Lilly 1101140). Life Sci 15:1161–1171

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuller RW, Perry KW, Molloy BB (1975) Reversible and irreversible phases of serotonin depletion by 4-chloroamphetamine. Eur J Pharmacol 33:119–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Gyermek LL (1966) The pharmacology of imipramine and related antidepressants. Int Rev Neurobiol 9:95–143

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall H, Ögren SO (1981) Effects of antidepressant drugs on different receptors in the brain. Eur J Pharmacol 70:393–407

    Google Scholar 

  • Hano J, Vetulani J, Sansoe M, Oliverio A (1981) Changes in action of tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants: Desipramine and mianserin on avoidance behaviour in the course of the chronic treatment. Psychopharmacology 73:265–268

    Google Scholar 

  • Harvey JA (1978) Neurotoxic action of halogenated amphetamines. Ann NY Acad Sci 305:289–304

    Google Scholar 

  • Harvey JA, McMaster SE (1976) Neurotoxic action of parachloroamphetamine in the rat as revealed by Nissl and silver stains. Psychopharmacol Bull 12:62–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Herr F, Stewart J, Charest MP (1961) Tranquilizers and antidepressants: A pharmacological comparison. Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther 134:328–342

    Google Scholar 

  • Hyttel J (1982) Citalopram-pharmacological profile of a specific serotonin uptake inhibitor with antidepressant activity. Prog Neuro Psychopharmacol Biol Psychiatr 6:277–295

    Google Scholar 

  • Köhler C, Ross SB, Srebro B, Ögren SO (1978) Long-term biochemical and behavioural effects of p-chloroamphetamine in the rat. Ann NY Acad Sci 305:645–663

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindberg UH, Thorberg SO, Bengtsson S, Renyi AL, Ross SB, Ögren SO (1978) Inhibitors of neuronal monoamine uptake. 2. Selective inhibition of 5-hydroxytryptamine uptake by α-amino acid esters of phenethyl alcohols. J Med Chem 21:448–456

    Google Scholar 

  • Maj J, Sowinska H, Baran L, Garncarczyk L, Rawlow A (1978) The central antiserotonergic action of mianserin. Psychopharmacology 59:79–84

    Google Scholar 

  • Ögren SO (1982) Central serotonin neurons and learning in the rat: In: Osborne NN (ed) Biology of serotonergic transmission. John Wiley & Sons, London, pp 317–334

    Google Scholar 

  • Ögren SO, Fuxe K, Archer T, Johansson G, Holm AC (1982) Behavioural and biochemical studies on the effects of acute and chronic administration of antidepressant drugs on central serotonergic receptor mechanisms. In: Langer SZ, Rakahashi R, Segawa T, Briley M (eds) New vistas in depression. Pergamon Press, New York, pp 11–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Ögren SO, Holm AC (1980) Test-specific effects of the 5-HT re-uptake inhibitors alaproclate and zimeldine on pain sensitivity and morphine analgesia. J Neural Transm 47:253–271

    Google Scholar 

  • Ögren SO, Holm AC, Hall H, Lindberg UH (1984) Alaproclate, a new selective 5-HT uptake inhibitor with therapeutic potential in depression and senile dementia. J Neural Trans 59:265–288

    Google Scholar 

  • Ögren SO, Johansson C, Johansson G, Archer T (1982) Serotonin neurones and aversive conditioning in the rat. Scand J Psychol Suppl 1:7–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross SB (1976) Antagonism of the acute and long-term biochemical effects of 4-chloroamphetamine on the 5-HT neurones in the rat brain by inhibitors of the 5-hydroxytryptamine uptake. Acta Pharmacol Toxicol 39:456–476

    Google Scholar 

  • Sansoe M (1978) Effects of chlordiazepoxide, amitryptyline, imipramine, and their combinations on avoidance behaviour in mice. Psychopharmacology 59:151–155

    Google Scholar 

  • Sigg EB (1968) Tricyclic thymoleptic agents and some newer antidepressants. In: Efron DH (ed) Psychopharmacology — a review of progress 1957–1967. Publication No. 1836. Public Health Service, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  • U'Prichard DC, Greenberg DA, Sheehan PP, Snyder SH (1978) Tricyclic antidepressants. Therapeutic properties and affinity for α-noradrenergic receptor binding sites in the brain. Science 199:197–198

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Archer, T., Ögren, SO., Johansson, G. et al. The effect of acute zimeldine and alaproclate administration on the acquisition of two-way active avoidance: Comparison with other antidepressant agents, test of selectivity and sub-chronic studies. Psychopharmacology 84, 188–195 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00427444

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00427444

Key words

Navigation