Clozapine attenuates N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor complex-mediated responses in vivo: tentative evidence for a functional modulation by a noradrenergic mechanism

T. S. Rao, P. C. Contreras, J. A. Cler, M. R. Emmett, S. J. Mick, S. Iyengar, P. L. Wood

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Recent studies revealed a role for dopamine and noradrenaline in the etiology of ischemia-induced neuronal cell death. In the present investigation, the modulation by clozapine, an atypical antipsychotic agent that interacts with adrenergic receptors, of N-methyl-d-spartate (NMDA) receptor complex-mediated events were studied by examining its effects on levels of cGMP in the cerebellum. Clozapine decreased basal levels of cGMP in the cerebellum and antagonized harmalinemethamphet-amine, pentylenetetrazol- and d-serine-induced increases in levels of cGMP with ED50 values of 3.9, 2.36, 2.13 and 2.1 mg kg (i.p.). However, clozapine (1.25-25 mg kg) did not attenuate the quisqualate-induced increases in levels of cGMP, indicating a specific modulation of events modulated by the NMDA receptor complex. Antagonists of dopamine (D2), serotonin (5-HT)-5-HT1, 5-HT2 and 5-HT3 haloperidol, propranolol, ritanserin, ICS 205-930 [(3-tropanyl-indole-3-carboxylate methiodide)] respectively, did not reverse the response to harmaline. However, WB-4101 [2(2,6-dimethoxy-phenoxyethyl)aminomethyl-1,4-benzodioxane HCl], an alpha1-adrenergic antagonist, reversed harmaline-, d-serine-, PTZ- and MA-induced increases in levels of cGMP, indicating an adrenergic modulation of the events mediated by the NMDA receptor complex. Intracerebellar and intracerebroventricular administration of clozapine and intracerebellar administration of WB-4101 reversed the d-serine-induced response, indicating a central locus of action. These results indicated that clozapine modulates levels of cGMP predominantly through its interactions with central adrenergic receptors.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)557-565
Number of pages9
JournalNeuropharmacology
Volume30
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1991
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • NMDA receptor
  • adrenergic receptor
  • cGMP
  • clozapine

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pharmacology
  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

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