Modulatory role of 5-HT3 receptors in mediation of apomorphine-induced aggressive behaviour in male rats

We have studied the effects of serotonin (5-HT) 5-HT3 receptor agonists l-phenylbiguanide (1-PBG) and 1-(m-chlorophenyl)-biguanide (mCPBG), and antagonists 3-tropanyl-3,5-dichlorobenzoate (MDL-72222) and tropisetron (3-tropanyl-indole-3-carboxylate HCl; ICS-205930) on apomorphine-induced aggressive behaviour in normal or DSP-4 [N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine hydrochloride] pre-treated male Wistar rats. DSP-4 (50 mg/kg) pre-treatment significantly accelerated the development of apomorphine-induced aggressive behaviour. mCPBG (1.0 and 10 mg/kg) did not modify the aggressiveness, but 1-PEG (3.0 and 30 mg/kg) attenuated the aggressiveness in normal but not DSP-4 pre-treated rats. MDL-72222 (0.4 and 4.0 mg/kg) attenuated the aggressive behaviour in normal rats, tropisetron (0.3 mg/kg) had an antiaggressive effect only by citalopram (10 mg/kg) challenge. MDL-72222 and tropisetron were ineffective in DSP-4 pre-treated rats. In conclusion, our results indicate that the 5-HT3 receptors modulate the apomorphine-induced aggressive behaviour and the 5-HT3 receptor antagonists have moderate antiaggressive effect in this test. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.