DIFFERENTIAL-EFFECTS OF WAY-100135 ON THE DECREASE IN 5-HYDROXYTRYPTAMINE RELEASE INDUCED BY BUSPIRONE AND NAN-190

1-(2-Methoxyphenyl)-3-[(phthalimido)butyl] piperazine (NAN-190) and 8- [4-[4-(2-pyrimidinyl)-1-piperazinyl]butyl]-8- azaspiro[4.5]decane-7,9- dione (buspirone) are 5-HT1A receptor partial agonists which decrease 5-hydrolrytryptamine (5-HT) release in vivo. In order to assess whethe r these ligands decrease 5-HT release by stimulating 5-HT1A receptors we examined the ability of the selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist N- tert-butyl 3-4-(2-methoxyphenyl) piperazin-1-yl-2-phenylpropanamide di hydrochloride (WAY-100135) to block their inhibitory effects on 5-HT. NAN-190 (0.1 mg/kg s.c.) and buspirone (1.0 mg/kg s.c.) significantly decreased extracellular levels of 5-HT in hippocampal dialysates. WAY- 100135 (10.0 mg/kg s.c.) attenuated the effect of buspirone but had no significant effect on the NAN-190-induced decrease in 5-HT release. T hese data demonstrate that buspirone is an agonist at the somatodendri tic 5-HT1A receptor but that the inhibitory effects of NAN-190 on 5-HT release may be mediated via a mechanism other than, or in addition to , 5-HT1A receptor agonism.