Chronic administration of sertraline, a selective serotonin uptake inhibitor, decreased the density of beta-adrenergic receptors in rat frontoparietal cortex.

Sertraline, a potent and selective inhibitor of serotonin uptake, was chronically administered to laboratory rats. Using in vitro receptor autoradiographic techniques, we found that the binding of [3H]dihydroalprenolol ([3H]DHA) was reduced in cortex layers IV-VI. Results of a saturation experiment indicated that the reduction in cortex layer IV was due to a change in number but not affinity of beta-adrenergic receptors.