MODIFICATION OF CORTICAL NEURON RESPONSES TO ACETYLCHOLINE BY VILOXAZINE

Viloxazine, an antidepressant with no peripheral antiacetylcholine activity, was capable of reducing responses of single cortical neurons to acetylcholine. Acetylcholine responses could also be potentiated by viloxazine. Both potentiation and reduction by viloxazine were often seen in the same study, reduction of responses invariably preceding potentiation. These results suggest that viloxazine may have selective effects on central cholinergic receptors. Responses of cortical neurons to monoamines could also be potentiated by viloxazine although it has little effect on monoamine uptake. These results are compatible with the idea that potentiation of monoamine responses may occur by a postsynaptic mechanism. 1979 Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain