Serotonin agonists mimic the phase shifting effects of light on the melatonin rhythm in rats

dc.contributor.authorKennaway, D.
dc.contributor.authorRowe, S.
dc.contributor.authorFerguson, S.
dc.date.issued1996
dc.description.abstractThe effect of serotonin agonists on the rhythmic excretion of the melatonin metabolite 6-sulphatoxymelatonin was examined in rats. The animals were maintained in 12L:12D and administered saline, quipazine (10 mg/kg), (+/-)-2-propylamino-8-hydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene hydrobromide (8-OH-DPAT, 5 mg/kg) or buspirone (10 mg/kg), 4 h after dark (ZT16). All three drugs caused an acute, transient suppression of 6-sulphatoxymelatonin excretion and a significant delay (P < 0.01) in the onset of the nocturnal rise on the following night of 2.1 +/- 0.6, 1.4 +/- 0.7 and 1.5 +/- 0.3 h respectively while saline administration had no effect (0.4 +/- 0.2 h delay, P > 0.01). To examine the effects of the time of day of agonist administration, groups of rats were treated with quipazine (10 mg/kg) or 8-OH-DPAT (5 mg/kg) 18, 24 or 30 h after the initiation of continuous darkness (CT6, CT12 or CT18) and monitored for a further two nights. Quipazine but not 8-OH-DPAT injection at CT6 resulted in a small but significant delay in the onset of 6-sulphatoxymelatonin excretion on the following night (1.0 +/- 0.2 h and 0.3 +/- 0.2 h) while treatment with both agonists at CT12 failed to affect the onset of excretion (0.8 +/- 0.2 and 0.1 +/- 0.2 h). When quipazine (10 mg/kg) was administered at CT18, 6-sulphatoxymelatonin excretion was acutely suppressed for the rest of the night and there was a large significant delay in the onset of 6-sulphatoxymelatonin excretion (1.2 +/- 0.2 h) while a smaller delay was observed following 8-OH-DPAT administration (0.8 +/- 0.2 h). The acute suppression of 6-sulphatoxymelatonin excretion and subsequent phase delay following quipazine treatment at CT18 was also evident at doses of 1 mg/kg (1.6 +/- 0.4 h) and 3 mg/kg (1.5 +/- 0.6 h). These results show that peripheral administration of serotonin agonists active at 5HT1a/5HT7 receptors mimic the dual effects of light on melatonin production in the rat and raise the possibility that serotonin pathways are more important in mediating the effects of retinally perceived light in the rat than previously believed.
dc.identifier.citationBrain Research, 1996; 737(1-2):301-307
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/0006-8993(96)00922-5
dc.identifier.issn0006-8993
dc.identifier.issn1872-6240
dc.identifier.orcidKennaway, D. [0000-0002-5864-3514]
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/8070
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(96)00922-5
dc.subjectAnimals
dc.subjectRats
dc.subjectRats, Wistar
dc.subjectQuipazine
dc.subjectBuspirone
dc.subjectMelatonin
dc.subject8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin
dc.subjectCircadian Rhythm
dc.subjectAdaptation, Ocular
dc.subjectMale
dc.subjectSerotonin Receptor Agonists
dc.titleSerotonin agonists mimic the phase shifting effects of light on the melatonin rhythm in rats
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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