A comparison of the behavioral effects of the repeated administration of PTT, 2 beta-propanoyl-3 beta-(4-tolyl)tropane and cocaine

In the present study the effects of the repeated administration of the nove l tropane analog PTT (2 beta-propanoyl-3 beta(4-tolyl)tropane) on spontaneo us locomotor activity were compared to those of cocaine. Previous reports d escribing the in vivo effects of PTT have focused solely on its acute effec ts following a single administration. In Experiment 1, PTT (1.0, 3.0 mg/kg) , cocaine (30 mg/kg), or vehicle were administered intraperitoneally to mal e Sprague-Dawley rats daily for 10 consecutive days and locomotor activity was assessed. In Experiment 2, the locomotor effects of PTT (1.0 mg/kg) and cocaine (15 mg/kg) were assessed following 5 days of drug exposure to eith er PTT (1.0, 3.0 mg/kg) or cocaine (30 mg/kg) and 18 days of withdrawal. In both paradigms, PTT (1.0, 3.0 mg/kg) and cocaine (30 mg/kg) produced marke d increases in locomotor activity acutely and an augmented response to drug challenge following repeated exposure, indicative of behavioral sensitizat ion. These data indicate that, despite differences in the pharmacological p rofiles of PTT and cocaine, both drugs produce behavioral sensitization. Th ese data are consistent with previous reports in the literature describing the effects of the repeated administration of other dopamine reuptake inhib itors and suggest that the development of behavioral sensitization is a uni form characteristic of this class of drugs. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.