PHENELZINE PRODUCES SUBSENSITIVITY TO NICOTINE

1. The authors attempted to detect a possible effect of treatment with phenelzine on a physiological response to nicotine in the rat. 2. Pos itive findings in an animal model suggest the feasibility of more comp licated experiments in animals and the possibility of studies involvin g human subjects. 3.Treatment of Sprague Dawley rats (n = 10) with phe nelzine sulfate (15.0 mg/kg ip) every 48 hours for 14 days was associa ted with a 73.3% decrease in the hypothermic response to nicotine. 4. Treatment with phenelzine did not enhance the rate of elimination of n icotine. 5. The authors discuss a possible relationship between change s in nicotinic mechanisms and the therapeutic actions of drugs used to treat affective illness.