Effect of methergoline on body temperature in mice

Serotonin (5-HT) involvement in body temperature regulation has been studied in mice by means of a 5-HT-selective blocking agent (methergoline). This drug causes an effect on body temperature which is dependent on environmental temperature. At environmental temperatures of 25 degrees C and 11 degrees C methergoline has a hypothermic effect, while at 36 degrees C environmental temperature, methergoline has a hyperthermic effect. At 25 degrees C environmental temperature, the hypothermic effect induced by 125 mug/kg i.p. of methergoline could be antagonized by low doses of LAE-32 (80 mug/kg s.c.), while there was not such an antagonism using higher doses of LAE-32 (100 and 300 mug/kg s.c.). This has been explained using Jalfre's hypothesis of the existence of 5-HT inhibitory and excitatory receptors.