Simultaneous effects of local dexfenfluramine application on extracellular glutamate and serotonin levels in rat frontal cortex: a reverse microdialysis study.

We examined the effects of local perfusion by reverse dialysis of various doses of dexfenfluramine (D-fen; in mM: 2.4, 12, and 24) simultaneously on serotonin (5-HT; [5-HT]ext) and glutamate (Glu; [Glu]ext) extracellular levels in the frontal cortex of awake rats. D-fen induced a dose-dependent increase in both [5-HT]ext and [Glu]ext, the latter being Ca2+ -dependent and TTX-sensitive, while the former is not. Pretreatment with either the neurotoxin p-chloroamphetamine or the 5-HT uptake blocker fluoxetine, markedly reduced the effects of D-fen on [5-HT]ext and [Glu]ext compared to controls. This indicates that intact 5-HT nerve terminals may be required for D-fen to enter into neurones to release 5-HT by reversal of the 5-HT transporter, which then increases frontocortical [Glu]ext. Pretreatment with the Glu uptake blocker, L-trans-pyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylic acid (1 mM), significantly reduced by 40% the effect of D-fen's on [Glu]ext suggesting that Glu uptake sites are partially involved in this effect. These results strongly suggest that intracortical application, by reverse dialysis, of a high dose of D-fen increases frontocortical [Glu]ext by a dual mechanism of action: (1) by stimulating 5-HT release (a major indirect effect) that, in turn, facilitates the release of neuronal Glu; (2) by reversal of the glutamate transporter (a minor direct effect being Ca2+ -independent and TTX-insensitive).