Subchronic-intermittent caffeine amplifies the motor effects of amphetamine in rats

Caffeine, the most widely consumed psychostimulant drug, acutely stimulates motor behaviour and enhances dopamine agonists actions whilst chronically it induces tolerance to either caffeine- or dopamine agonist-induced motor activating effects. The present study examined whether subchronic caffeine...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Amino acids 2006-11, Vol.31 (4), p.359-363
Main Authors: Simola, N, Tronci, E, Pinna, A, Morelli, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Activation analysis
Adrenergic Agents - pharmacology
Amino acids
amphetamine
Amphetamines
Animals
Behavior, Animal - drug effects
Caffeine
Caffeine - administration & dosage
Caffeine - pharmacology
Central Nervous System Stimulants - administration & dosage
Central Nervous System Stimulants - pharmacology
Dextroamphetamine - administration & dosage
Dextroamphetamine - agonists
Dextroamphetamine - pharmacology
Dopamine
Male
Motor Activity - drug effects
Motor behaviour
Motors
Oxidopamine - pharmacology
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Rodents
Sympatholytics - pharmacology
Tolerances
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Summary:Caffeine, the most widely consumed psychostimulant drug, acutely stimulates motor behaviour and enhances dopamine agonists actions whilst chronically it induces tolerance to either caffeine- or dopamine agonist-induced motor activating effects. The present study examined whether subchronic caffeine administration (15 mg/kg, on alternate days for 14 days) induces enduring modifications in caffeine- and amphetamine-mediated motor activity. To this end, motor activation and rotational behaviour stimulated by either caffeine or D-amphetamine (0.5, 2 mg/kg), given 3 days after the last caffeine administration, were evaluated in neurologically intact and unilaterally 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats respectively. Subchronic caffeine resulted in an increase in caffeine-induced motor and turning behaviour. Furthermore, caffeine pretreatment potentiated the motor effects of amphetamine in both intact and 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats. These results suggest that subchronic caffeine treatment results in an enhancement of its motor stimulant effects, rather than in tolerance, and induces neuroadaptive facilitatory changes in dopamine transmission.
ISSN:0939-4451
1438-2199
DOI:10.1007/s00726-006-0373-3