Effects of yohimbine on dopamine dependent behaviours in rats and mice

In the present study we have investigated the effect of yohimbine on dopamine-dependent behaviours in rats and mice. Yohimbine (1.25 to 10 mg/kg, ip) failed to block the conditioned avoidance response in rats, to inhibit the traction response in mice and to induce catalepsy in rats and mice. Pretreatment with yohimbine (1.25 to 10 mg/kg, ip) had no significant effect on apomorphine stereotypy in rats and apomorphine induced cage climbing behaviour in mice. However, pretreatment with yohimbine (1.25 to 10 mg/kg. ip) significantly increased the intensity of methamphetamine stereotypy and antagonised haloperidol catalepsy in rats. Our findings indicate that yohimbine does not possess postsynaptic striatal and mesolimbic D-2 dopamine receptor blocking activity.