The importance of 5-hydroxytryptamine for the induction of harmine tremor and its antagonism by dopaminergic agonists assessed by lesions of the midbrain raphe nuclei.

The brain lesion technique was used to destroy the ascending 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) system at its cell bodies in the dorsal and medial raphe nuclei in order to assess the importance of 5-HT for the induction of harmine tremor and its antagonism by the dopaminergic agonists, L-DOPA, apomorphine and d-amphetamine. Lesions of the medial or dorsal raphe nucleus reduced the intensity of harmine tremor. The remaining tremor was generally resistant to further reduction by the dopaminergic agonists. 5-hydroxytryptophan was shown to enhance tremor: this effect was reduced both by the raphe lesions and by treatment with L-DOPA. The data are discussed in terms of the possible relationship between 5-HT and dopamine.