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

Michael E. Trulson, Barry L. Jacobs

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

52 Scopus citations

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.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1295-1297
Number of pages3
JournalScience
Volume205
Issue number4412
DOIs
StatePublished - 1979

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Long-term amphetamine treatment decreases brain serotonin metabolism: Implications for theories of schizophrenia'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this