ABSTRACT
Bilateral, high-frequency stimulation (HFS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is the surgical therapy of choice for movement disability in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD), but this procedure evokes debilitating psychiatric effects, including depressed mood, of unknown neural origin. Here, we report the unexpected finding that HFS of the STN inhibits midbrain 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) neurons to evoke depression-related behavioral changes. We found that bilateral HFS of the STN consistently inhibited (40-50%) the firing rate of 5-HT neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus of the rat, but not neighboring non-5-HT neurons. This effect was apparent at clinically relevant stimulation parameters (> or =100 Hz, > or =30 microA), was not elicited by HFS of either neighboring or remote structures to the STN, and was still present in rat models of PD. We also found that bilateral HFS of the STN evoked clear-cut, depressive-like behavior in a widely used experimental paradigm of depression (forced swim test), and this effect was also observed in a PD model. Importantly, the depressive-like behavior elicited by HFS of the STN was reversed by a selective 5-HT-enhancing antidepressant, thereby linking the behavioral change to decreased 5-HT neuronal activity. Overall, these findings link reduced 5-HT function to the psychiatric effects of HFS of the STN observed in PD patients and provide a rational basis for their clinical management. More generally, the powerful interaction between the STN and 5-HT system uncovered here offers insights into the high level of comorbidity of basal ganglia disease and mood disorder.
Subject(s)
Behavior, Animal , Deep Brain Stimulation/adverse effects , Depression/etiology , Neurons/metabolism , Serotonin/metabolism , Subthalamic Nucleus/metabolism , Action Potentials/drug effects , Animals , Disease Models, Animal , Electrodes , Male , Muscimol/pharmacology , Neurons/cytology , Neurons/drug effects , Organ Specificity/drug effects , Parkinsonian Disorders/pathology , Raphe Nuclei/cytology , Raphe Nuclei/drug effects , Raphe Nuclei/metabolism , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Subthalamic Nucleus/cytology , Subthalamic Nucleus/drug effectsABSTRACT
Recent evidence that 5-HT(2) receptors exert a negative influence on central 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) neurones suggests that 5-HT(2) receptor antagonists may augment the effects of serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The present study investigated whether pre-treatment with 5-HT(2) receptor antagonists enhances the effect of SSRI administration on hippocampal extracellular 5-HT of freely moving rats. Administration of the SSRI citalopram at a low (2mg kg(-1)) and higher (4 mg kg(-1)) dose, increased dialysate 5-HT by 5- and 8-fold, respectively. Pre-treatment with the 5-HT(2) receptor antagonist ketanserin (4 mg kg(-1)) augmented the effect of 4 mg kg(-1) but not 2mg kg(-1) citalopram. The effect of 4 mg kg(-1) citalopram was also augmented by pre-treatment with either the 5-HT(2C) receptor antagonist SB 242084 (0.5mg kg(-1)) or the 5-HT(2A) receptor antagonist MDL 100907 (0.5mg kg(-1)). As with citalopram, fluoxetine elevated dialysate 5-HT at both a low (5mg kg(-1)) and higher (20mg kg(-1)) dose. However, neither dose of fluoxetine was augmented by ketanserin (4 mg kg(-1)). These results confirm recent findings that 5-HT(2) receptor antagonists augment the effect of citalopram on extracellular 5-HT, and indicate the involvement of 5-HT(2C) and possibly 5-HT(2A) receptors. The lack of augmentation of fluoxetine might reflect the intrinsic 5-HT(2) receptor antagonist properties of this drug.
Subject(s)
Hippocampus/drug effects , Microdialysis , Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors/pharmacology , Serotonin 5-HT2 Receptor Antagonists , Serotonin Antagonists/pharmacology , Serotonin/metabolism , Analysis of Variance , Animals , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Drug Synergism , Hippocampus/metabolism , Male , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Wakefulness/drug effectsABSTRACT
New data show that 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) neurons of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) are subject to feedback control from 5-HT2 receptors, but the circuitry involved is uncertain. This study investigated whether 5-HT2 receptor agonism activates DRN gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons, which are known to inhibit neighbouring 5-HT neurons. Systemic administration of the 5-HT2 receptor agonist, DOI, caused a striking increase in Fos-immunoreactivity in the DRN. This effect was abolished by the 5-HT2 antagonists ritanserin and MDL 100907, but not SB 206553, indicating the involvement of 5-HT2A receptors. Importantly, DOI-induced Fos-immunoreactivity in the DRN was extensively colocalized in GAD67-immunoreactive neurons. These findings suggest that activated local GABA neurons may play an important role in 5-HT2 receptor-mediated feedback control of DRN 5-HT neurons.
