EFFECT OF ETOPERIDONE ON THE DEPLETION OF BRAIN 5-HYDROXYTRYPTAMINE AND CATECHOLAMINES INDUCED RESPECTIVELY BY PARA-CHLOROMETHAMPHETAMINE AND 6-HYDROXYDOPAMINE IN RATS

Etoperidone, as well as chlorimipramine, were able to antagonize the brain 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) depletion induced by p-chloromethamphetamine and to decrease the rat brain 5-hydroxyIAA concentrations. Etoperidone and desipramine (DMI) did not antagonize the decrease of brain dopamine induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) whereas only DMI counteracted the 6-OHDA-induced brain norepinephrine depletion. These data would indicate that etoperidone specifically blocks in vivo 5-HT reuptake mechanisms and that this effect may be also responsible for a compensatory reduction of 5-HT turnover.