The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
- Volume 4 Issue 5
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- Pages.361-367
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- 2000
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- 1226-4512(pISSN)
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- 2093-3827(eISSN)
Amperozide Decreases Cocaine-Induced Increase in Behavior and Immediate Early Gene Expression in the Dorsal Striatum
- Choe, Eun-Sang (Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, East Carolina University School of Medicine) ;
- Kim, Jong-Yeon (Department of Physiology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine)
- Published : 2000.10.21
Abstract
Cocaine functions as indirect dopamine and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5HT) agonists and induces genomic and behavioral alterations in the striatum. Previously we demonstrated that ritanserin, a 5HT2/1C receptor antagonist, is not responsible for cocaine-induced behavioral alterations and zif268 mRNA gene expression in the striatum (see the previous paper in this issue). In this study, it was hypothesized that dopamine and 5HT2/1C receptors are required for cocaine-induced behavioral alterations and c-fos and zif268 mRNA expression. This hypothesis was addressed by infusing amperozide which antagonizes both 5HT2/1C and dopamine receptors and was analyzed using the quantitative in situ hybridization histochemistry in vivo. Systemic injection of amperozide (5 mg/kg, s.c.) significantly blocked increase in behavior, c-fos and zif268 mRNA expression induced by 15 mg/kg cocaine, i.p., in the dorsal striatum. These data suggest that dopamine and 5HT2/1C receptors are necessary for cocaine-induced behavioral alterations and immediate early gene expression in the dorsal striatum.