Serotonin depletion increases respiratory variability in freely moving rats: implications for panic disorder.

• To elucidate if serotonergic transmission affects respiratory variability, a parameter consistently found increased in patients with panic disorder, we studied the effect of a serotonin synthesis inhibitor, para-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA), on respiratory variability at baseline and during CO2-induced hyperventilation in awake and unrestrained rats. Forty male Wistar rats were given intraperitoneal injections of PCPA (300 mg/kg) or saline 72, 48 and 24 h before registration of respiration in a plethysmograph allowing the animals to move freely. PCPA-treated rats displayed significantly higher tidal volume variability and minute volume variability, both at baseline and during CO2 exposure, compared to controls. The results support the notion that serotonin dysfunction may contribute to the enhanced respiratory variability observed in patients with panic disorder.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Farmakologi och toxikologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Pharmacology and Toxicology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Analysis of Variance

Animals

Carbon Dioxide

Fenclonine

pharmacology

Hyperventilation

chemically induced

physiopathology

Male

Plethysmography

methods

Rats

Rats

Wistar

Respiratory System

drug effects

physiopathology

Serotonin

deficiency

Serotonin Antagonists

pharmacology

Time Factors

Wakefulness

drug effects

physiology

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)