Fear behavior and regional brain monoamines distribution after R(+)-8-OHDPAT and R(+)-UH-301 injections into the dorsal raphe nucleus in rats.

The effects of 8-OHDPAT and UH-301 injection into the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) on fear behavior of the light-dark transitions test and regional brain monoamines (NA, DA, 5-HT) and their metabolites (MHPG, DOPAC, 5-HIAA) in the hypothalamus (HPT), midbrain central gray matter (MID), amygdala (AMY), hippocampus (HIP) and pons (PO) were examined. An injection of 8-OHDPAT (300 ng) as well UH-301 (300 ng) into the DRN evoked an increase in the number of head dipping from dark to the illuminated compartment of chamber, an increase of time of motionless in the dark compartment and decrease of time of locomotion activity in the illuminated compartment. HPLC analysis showed reduction of 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio in the HPT, HIP and PO, increase of MHPG/NA ratio in the HIP and PO, and increase of DA content in the HPT, AMY and HIP after 8-OHDPAT injection. But injection of UH-301 reduced 5-HT in the MID and increased in the AMY, reduced 5-HIAA content in the HIP and increased in the MID and decreased MHPG/NA ratio in the PO. These results indicate that both 5-HT1A receptor agonists, acting on the 5HT1A autoreceptors caused the anxiolytic effects, reduced fear behavior on the rat connected with infringement of dynamic balance between the serotonergic and catecholaminergics systems.