Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026

A Protocol for Measuring Cue Reactivity in a Rat Model of Cocaine Use Disorder
Published on: June 18, 2018
The 5 -HT3 receptor antagonists, granisetron and ondansetron, do not affect cocaine-induced shifts in intra-cranial
J P Hatcher1, P Boyland, J J Hagan
1Psychiatry Research Department, SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals, New Frontiers Science Park, Third Avenue, Harlow, Essex CM19 5AW, UK.
Abstract:
The effects of the 5-HT( 3) receptor antagonists, granisetron and ondansetron, were investigated on behaviour maintained by intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS). Rats, implanted with bipolar electrodes in the lateral hypothalamus, were trained to lever press on a continuous reinforcement schedule for positively reinforcing trains of electrical stimulation. The frequency at which responding reached 50% of maximum (M50) and the maximum rate of responding (asymptote) were used to measure drug effects. Granisetron (0.01-0.1 mg/kg i.p ) and ondansetron (0.03-0.3 mg/kg i.p ) had no effect on either parameter. In contrast, cocaine (20 mg/kg i.p ) potentiated rewarded responding, reducing M50 values, but neither granisetron (0.01-3.0 mg/kg i.p ) nor ondansetron (0.03-0.3 mg/kg i.p ) blocked this effect. Neither did granisetron (0.1-10.0 mg/kg i.p ) alter the effect of lower doses of cocaine (10 mg/kg i.p.). These data suggest that 5 -HT( 3) receptors do not play a significant role in mediating responding maintained by ICSS in the rat through hypothalamic electrodes. Neither do they modulate cocaine-induced potentiation of the behaviour.
Related Concept Videos
Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists
Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Serotonin Receptor Agonists
Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Dopamine Receptor Antagonists
Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: Dopamine Receptor Antagonists
Phenothiazines, such as prochlorperazine...
Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Release or Uptake
Adrenergic Agonists: Indirect-Acting Agents
One mechanism involves depleting stored catecholamines by displacing them from synaptic vesicles. These agents, known as "displacers," are transported into vesicles at the expense of noradrenaline. Examples include amphetamine and tyramine, which lack a catechol moiety, resulting in prolonged action, improved oral bioavailability, and...
