Abstract
Several lines of evidence indicate that psychostimulant withdrawal can induce negative emotional symptoms, such as anhedonia and dysphoria, which may be due in part, to dysfunction of the serotonin (5-HT) system, including alterations in 5-HT receptors. For example, changes in 5-HT 2A receptor function in prefrontal cortex (PFC) have been reported in association with psychostimulant withdrawal. However, it is not known if alterations in 5-HT 2A receptor mRNA expression occur in the PFC or other limbic-associated areas following withdrawal from chronic psychostimulant treatment. The goal of the current study was to determine the effects of chronic, escalating doses of d-amphetamine ( d-AMPH) and withdrawal on the expression of 5-HT 2A receptors in the cortex, caudate putamen, NAc and hippocampus of rat brain. Animals were treated three times a day for 4 days with escalating doses of d-AMPH (1–10 mg/kg). Twenty-four hours after the final dose of d-AMPH, animals were sacrificed and the tissue processed for in situ hybridization histochemistry. Chronic, escalating doses of d-AMPH, followed by a 24 h withdrawal period, significantly decreased 5-HT 2A receptor mRNA expression in the prefrontal, motor and cingulate cortices, while 5-HT 2A receptor mRNA expression in the NAc, caudal CPu and hippocampus were significantly increased. These data indicate that region-specific changes in 5-HT 2A receptor mRNA expression occur in limbic system and associated areas following chronic d-AMPH treatment, supporting the notion that alterations in the 5-HT system may contribute to the negative emotional aspects of psychostimulant withdrawal.
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