EFFECTS OF 5-HT3 RECEPTOR AGONISTS ON VOLUNTARY ETHANOL INTAKE IN RATS MAINTAINED ON A LIMITED ACCESS PROCEDURE

• Published in: Alcohol and alcoholism (Oxford) 1997-07, Vol.32 (4), p.455-462
• Main Authors: DYR, WANDA, KOSTOWSKI, WOJCIECH
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alcohol Drinking; Alcoholism and acute alcohol poisoning; Animals; Biguanides - administration & dosage; Biguanides - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; Central Nervous System - drug effects; Central Nervous System - physiology; Central Nervous System Depressants - administration & dosage; Central Nervous System Depressants - pharmacology; Ethanol - administration & dosage; Ethanol - pharmacology; Male; Medical sciences; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, Serotonin - physiology; Serotonin - administration & dosage; Serotonin - analogs & derivatives; Serotonin - pharmacology; Serotonin Receptor Agonists - pharmacology; Toxicology
• ISSN: 0735-0414; 1464-3502
• DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.alcalc.a008280

Recent evidence from a variety of laboratory studies suggests that the central effects of ethanol (EtOH) are mediated by serotonin 5-HT3 receptors. Notably, EtOH is able to potentiate 5-HT action on 5-HT3 ionophore, and 5-HT3 antagonists are known to reduce certain effects of EtOH. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of two agonists of 5-HT3 receptors, 2-methyl-5-HT (2-Me-5-HT) and m-chlorophenylbiguanide (m-CPBG) that were microinjected i.c.v. and into the nucleus accumbens (NAC) on EtOH intake in Wistar rats with high EtOH preference. 2-Me-5-HT given i.c.v. (1 and 10 μg per rat) and into the NAC (bilaterally 1 and 10 μg per site) significantly reduced EtOH intake in the limited access paradigm (2 h session). On the other hand m-CPBG was inactive after intra-NAC administration. It is concluded that central 5-HT3 receptors are involved in the regulation of EtOH consumption.