Effects of housing, restraint and chronic treatments with mCPP and sertraline on behavioural responses to mCPP

The effects of pretreatments on behavioural responses to activation of 5-HT1C receptors by m-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP) were investigated. The hypo locomotor and anxiogenic effects of mCPP (social interaction test) were influenced neither by previous housing (single versus grouped) nor by restraint (2 h, 24 h previously). In the absence of mCPP, 24 h group housing led to decreased social interaction and the restraint procedure led to significant decreases of feeding and locomotion. The hypophagic effect of mCPP was unaffected by previous restraint. However, chronic pretreatment with mCPP (2.5 mg/kg per day IP x 14) or with the antidepressant 5-HT reuptake inhibitor sertraline (5 mg/kg per day SC x 14) attenuated all three behaviours. The above findings are discussed with respect to published data on effects of pretreatments on responses to the activation of 5-HT1C receptors.