Serotonin Reuptake Is Less Efficient in Taste Aversion Resistant Than in Taste Aversion-Prone Rats

• Published in: Pharmacology, biochemistry and behavior biochemistry and behavior, 2000-07, Vol.66 (3), p.609-614
• Main Authors: Elkins, R.L, Orr, T.E, Li, J.Q, Walters, P.A, Whitford, J.L, Carl, G.F, Rausch, J.L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alcoholism; Animals; Behavioral genetics; Behavioral psychophysiology; Binding Sites; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - drug effects; Brain - metabolism; Carrier Proteins - metabolism; Cell Membrane - drug effects; Cell Membrane - metabolism; Conditioned taste aversion; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Male; Membrane Glycoproteins - metabolism; Membrane Transport Proteins; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Neurotransmission and behavior; Paroxetine; Paroxetine - pharmacology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Rats; Reuptake kinetics; Selectively bred rats; Serotonin; Serotonin - metabolism; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; Serotonin transporter; Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors - pharmacology; Synaptosomes - drug effects; Synaptosomes - metabolism; Taste - physiology
• ISSN: 0091-3057; 1873-5177
• DOI: 10.1016/S0091-3057(00)00263-X

We have previously reported the development of rat lines bred selectively for differences in taste aversion conditionability. Earlier studies demonstrated that the taste aversion resistant (TAR) animals exhibited lower concentrations of brain serotonin and consumed greater amounts of ethanol than their taste aversion prone (TAP) counterparts. In the present study, TAR rats demonstrated significantly less efficient brain serotonin transport compared to TAP rats, but the rat lines demonstrated similar levels of serotonin transporter or V max and similar whole brain paroxetine (a specific serotonin reuptake inhibitor) binding ( B max). These results suggest that the rat lines differ in the mechanisms that transport serotonin into nerve endings, but do not differ in the binding of serotonin to the transporter or in the number of serotonin transport sites. The data support the hypothesis that genetically determined differences in the serotonin system contribute to individual differences in taste aversion conditionability. The findings further suggest that differences in serotonin transport may influence the propensity to self-administer ethanol.