Dopamine D1 receptor modulation of set shifting

Abstract

Chronic stress exerts detrimental effects on higher order executive functions that are governed by the prefrontal cortex. Experimental data suggest that dopamine D1 receptor-mediated hypodopaminergic dysfunction may underlie stress-induced cognitive deficits. However, although the involvement of D1 receptors in working memory is well established, less is known about their role in the modulation of set-shifting ability. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the impact of the selective D1 receptor agonist, SKF 81297, on the attentional set-shifting task performance of rats subjected to repeated restraint stress and of unrestrained controls. The acute administration of SKF 81297 to control rats facilitated extradimensional set-shifting. However, only intermediate doses (0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg) were effective, whereas no effect was observed after the administration of either lower (0.01 mg/kg) or higher (1 mg/kg) doses. This dose-response curve was shifted to the left in stressed animals as the effectiveness of SKF 81297 (as compared with either vehicle-treated controls or stressed animals) was found only after the administration of lower drug doses (0.01 and 0.1 mg/kg). The beneficial effects of SKF 81297 on the attentional set-shifting task performance of stressed rats may have therapeutic implications for the treatment of frontal-like disturbances, particularly cognitive inflexibility, in stress-related psychiatric disorders.