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R Porsolt

Publications and source records attributed to R Porsolt.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

The preclinical pharmacologic profile of tiapride.

Tiapride is a benzamide derivative that has been used successfully in the clinic for a number of years for the treatment of agitation and aggressiveness in elderly patients. Like many substituted benzamides, tiapride specifically blocks dopamine receptors in the brain. It has affinity for dopamine D(2) (IC(50) = 110-320 nM) and D(3) (IC(50) = 180 nM) receptors in vitro but lacks affinity for dopamine D(1) and D(4) receptors and for non-dopaminergic receptors including H(1), alpha(1), alpha(2)-adrenergic and serotonergic receptors. Tiapride also shows dose-related inhibition of [3H]-raclopride binding in limbic areas and in the striatum of the rat in vivo (ED(50) approximately 20 mg/kg, ip). In microdialysis experiments, tiapride (over the range 10-30 mg/kg, ip) increased extracellular levels of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens and striatum, a reflection of its blockade of postsynaptic dopamine receptors in these brain areas. In behavioral experiments in rats, lower doses of tiapride (ED(50) = 10 mg/kg, ip) antagonised dopamine agonist-induced hyperactivity while higher doses (ED(50) = 60 mg/kg, ip) were required to block stereotyped movements. In addition, doses of tiapride up to 200 mg/kg, ip failed to induce catalepsy, an effect observed with many other drugs which block dopamine receptors. In tests of conditioned behavior in rats, tiapride was found to give rise to an interoceptive stimulus associated with dopamine receptor blockade at doses (ED(50) = 2.2 mg/kg, ip) much lower than those producing motor disturbances or sedation (ED(50) = 40 mg/kg, ip), in striking contrast to a range of conventional or atypical neuroleptics that produced interoceptive stimulus and sedation at similar doses. Furthermore, the acquisition by rats of a place-learning task in a water maze was not affected by tiapride (over the range 3-30 mg/kg, ip), whereas haloperidol (MED = 0.25 mg/kg, ip) and risperidone (MED = 0.03 mg/kg, ip) impaired performance. The preclinical pharmacologic and behavioral profile of tiapride suggests that its clinical activity may be due to a selective blockade of dopamine D(2) and D(3) receptors in limbic brain regions. The results are also consistent with a lack of motor or cognitive side effects.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Brain and hippocampus fatty acid composition in phospholipid classes of aged-relative cognitive deficit rats.

The aim of this work was to study the composition of long chain fatty acids and the n-6 and n-3 fatty acid ratios in aged and young Wistar rats in brain and hippocampus, related to relative cognitive deficits. The aged animals showed cognitive deficits during acquisition of a memory task (delayed alternation). In brain, results showed a decrease in palmitoleic and palmitic acid percentages in all the studied phospholipid classes and in the phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylcholine classes, respectively, in old rats, compared to the young ones. There was also an increase in oleic and stearic acid amounts in the sphingomyelin, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol classes and in the phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylcholine classes, respectively. Arachidonic acid amount was decreased in old rats, compared to the young ones, in the phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol classes. Total n-6 and n-3 fatty acid amounts were both decreased in all phospholipid classes, with a stable n-6/n-3 ratio. Our results confirm that arachidonic acid concentration is decreased in aged rats and that this reduction, more significant in phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol classes, should be related to the fact that low concentrations of arachidonic acid are observed during activation of glutamate receptor.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1990

Biochemical and pharmacological evaluation of the novel antidepressant and serotonin uptake inhibitor 2-(3,4-Dichlorobenzyl)-2-dimethylamino-1-propanol hydrochloride.

2-(3,4-Dichlorobenzyl)-2-dimethylamino-1-propanol, hydrochloride (JO 1017) is a novel antidepressant drug. Its biochemical and pharmacological properties were investigated in mice, rats, dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs. In vitro, it selectively inhibited serotonin uptake and had a high affinity for the 3H-paroxetine and 3H-imipramine binding sites. Biochemical studies demonstrated the lack of MAO-A and MAO-B inhibition and the absence of marked affinity for muscarinic, histaminic or other conventional brain receptors. Chronic treatment with JO 1017 induced a decrease in the Bmax values for imipramine sites but did not modify the Bmax for beta-adrenergic and 5-HT2 receptors. The neuropsychopharmacological profile of JO 1017 is characterized by a decrease of the immobility times in behavioural despair tests with mice, a decrease of the escape failures in the rat learned helplessness test, a strong potentiation of L-5-HT P-induced head-twitches in mice and an antagonism of reserpine-induced ptosis in rabbits. It weakly antagonized oxotremorine-induced hypothermia and did not influence the hypothermia induced by apomorphine. In contrast to most other antidepressants, a high dose of JO 1017 induced hypermotility in mice placed in an activity meter without producing stereotyped behaviour and group toxicity. Unlike tricyclic antidepressants, JO 1017 was devoid of severe cardiotoxicity in guinea pigs and had no central anticholinergic nor antihistaminic properties. These results suggest that JO 1017 is a selective serotonin uptake inhibitor with a high safety margin. JO 1017 may have a potential clinical utility both in the treatment of depression and for indications where serotonin transmission is involved, e.g., anxiety, panic attack, obsessive compulsive disorder, obesity and alcohol consumption.

Animals↗