At low doses, harmaline increases forelimb tremor in the rat

A behavioral preparation especially sensitive to low-dose drug effects on fine motor behavior in rats was used to assess the tremorogenic effects of harmaline, an indole alkaloid and beta-carboline derivative. Rats that were trained to press downward on a force transducer for water reinforcement were initially administered harmaline (0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg) in an acute dosing regime. Immediately following the day of initial acute exposure to 1 mg/kg, 3 consecutive days at this dose ensued, providing for a 4-day, repeated-dosing analysis. Harmaline did not significantly suppress task engagement during either acute or repeated dosing. Acute administration of harmaline dose-dependently increased power in the high-frequency (10-25 Hz) band of the power spectrum (tremor) without affecting overall forelimb force output. Upon continued administration, tremor remained significantly elevated above vehicle values. Harmaline also slowed the rats' licking frequency, an effect that did not diminish with repeated dosing. Harmaline increased the durations of individual responses during acute dosing and continued to exert this effect with repeated dosing. The effects reported in the present study may represent low-dose harmaline-induced alterations in the olivo-cerebellar system. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.