BEHAVIORAL-EFFECTS IN MICE OF SUBCHRONIC BUSPIRONE, ONDANSETRON AND TIANEPTINE .2. THE ELEVATED PLUS-MAZE

In followup to recent work on benzodiazepines (chlordiazepoxide) and s elective monoamine reuptake inhibitors (maprotiline and fluvoxamine), the present study compares the effects of the 5-HT1A receptor partial agonist, buspirone (0.75-3.0 mg/kg), the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, on dansetron (0.1-100 mu g/kg), and the novel antidepressant, tianeptine (2.5-10.0 mg/kg), on the behaviour of mice in the elevated plus-maze t est of anxiety. Compounds were administered daily for 21 days prior to testing, and an ethological scoring technique was used to generate co mprehensive behavioural profiles. Results show that subchronic treatme nt with ondansetron failed to influence the behaviour of mice in the p lus-maze, while the Limited changes induced by buspirone could not be attributed to anxiety-related processes. In contrast, tianeptine produ ced unambiguous anxiogenic-like effects at the top dose tested (10.0 m g/kg), a profile that was not secondary to changes in general levels o f locomotor activity or exploration. Data are discussed in relation to current pharmacotherapy of anxiety and depressive disorders, and the nature of anxiety induced by animal models. Copyright (C) 1997 Elsevie r Science Inc.