Serotonin and learned helplessness: a regional study of 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A receptors and the serotonin transport site in rat brain

Serotonin (5-HT) plays a central role in the neurochemistry of the learned helplessness animal model of depression. Using quantitative autoradiography , we measured the density of 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors and of 5-HT transp ort sites in medial prefrontal cortex, dorsal hippocampus, septum, hypothal amus, and amygdala in learned helpless rats, lin rats that were nonhelpless after inescapable stress, as well as in shuttlebox-tested and nonhandled c ontrols. We found Ilo changes in 5-HT1A receptor density among the groups i n any region studied. In dorsal hippocampus, 5-HT2A receptor density was de creased in nonhelpless rats. while in amygdala 5-HT2A receptor density was decreased in both groups of stressed rats, whether helpless or nonhelpless. In the hypothalamus 5-HT2A receptor density, was decreased in helpless rat s as compared to controls. In medial prefrontal cortex, the serotonin trans port sites showed decreased density in helpless rats as compared to control s but not to nonhelpless rats. These findings further highlight the complex ity of regional 5-HT effects in the learned helplessness animal model. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.