Direct comparison of hallucinogenic phenethylamines and D-amphetamine on dorsal raphe neurons

We compared the effects of the hallucinogens 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine (DOM), mescaline and the simulant D-amphetamine, applied by microiontophoresis to rat dorsal raphe (DR) units. DR neuron firing rate was relatively insensitive to DOM and unaffected by mescaline, but was clearly inhibited by D-amphetamine. Intravenous DOM usually inhibited, but this effect was correlated with blood pressure changes; i.v. D-amphetamine produced inconsistent responses. These results suggest that most of the effects seen on i.v. administration of phenethylamines are not mediated directly on the serotonergic cell.