Serotonin potentiates dopamine inhibition of ventral tegmental area neurons in vitro

1. The ventral tegmental area (VTA) has been implicated in both the rewarding effects of drugs of abuse and the etiology of schizophrenia. We report here that serotonin (5-HT) potentiates the inhibitory effect of dopamine on dopaminergic VTA neurons. Dopamine (0.5-10 microM) inhibited the spontaneous firing of putative dopamine-containing neurons of the VTA. 5-HT (5-10 microM) itself did not significantly alter the spontaneous firing rate; however, in the presence of 5-HT, the inhibitory potency of dopamine was significantly increased. 2. The inhibitory potency of the dopamine agonist quinpirole was also increased by 5-HT. 3. 5-HT-induced potentiation was also produced by the selective 5-HT2 agonist (+/-)-2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine, and was reversed by the selective 5-HT2 antagonist ketanserin. 4. This novel action of 5-HT on dopaminergic neurons has important implications for the development of drugs to treat schizophrenia, and for the identification of agents that will be useful in treating drug abuse disorders like alcoholism.