Potentiation by desipramine of neuronal responses to mescaline.

The effect of desipramine on responses of single cortical neurones to mescaline was studied by the microelectrophoretic technique. Both potentiation and antagonism of responses to mescaline by desipramine were observed. The antagonism may be related to the alpha-adrenolytic action of desipramine. The potentiation is unlikely to reflect the uptake blocking action of desipramine, since desipramine does not block the uptake of mescaline in the cerebral cortex. It is suggested that the potentiation may be due to a post-synaptic action of desipramine.