Serotonin2 receptor agonists and serotonergic anorectic drugs affect rats' performance differently in a five-choice serial reaction time task.

A five-choice serial reaction time task was used to study the effects of serotonin (5-HT) receptor agonists and antagonists on accuracy of performance and food-motivated behaviour. Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), 0.1 mg/kg IP and quipazine, 2.5 mg/kg IP significantly reduced the percentage of correct responses and increased the percentage of omissions with no effect on other measures such as latency to collect the reinforcement or to respond correctly. The effects of LSD and quipazine were reversed by 1-2 mg/kg ritanserin, a potent 5-HT2 and 5-HT1C receptor antagonist. Metachlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP) 2.5 mg/kg IP, an agonist at 5-HT1B and 5-HT1C receptors, and d-fenfluramine (DF) 1.25 mg/kg IP, a releaser of 5-HT from nerve terminals and inhibitor of 5-HT uptake, increased the percentage of omissions and the latency to respond correctly or to collect the reinforcement with no effects on the correct responses. Effects similar to those of mCPP and DF were obtained by 60 min access to food before testing. Haloperidol, 0.1 mg/kg IP, did not affect the percentage of correct responses or the latency to collect the reinforcement, but significantly increased the proportion of errors of omission and the latency to respond correctly. The results show that 5-HT2 receptor agonists cause attentional disturbances at doses that have no marked effect on motivation for food or speed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)