Noradrenaline-stimulated inositol phospholipid breakdown as a measure of alpha 1-adrenoceptor function in rat hippocampal miniprisms after repeated antidepressant treatment.

Noradrenaline-stimulated inositol phospholipid (PI) breakdown in rat hippocampal miniprisms was used as a measure of alpha 1-adrenoceptor function after repeated antidepressant treatment. After 24-29 days of oral treatment with either desipramine, mianserin, maprotiline or zimeldine (all at doses of 10 mg/kg b.i.d.), there was no significant difference in the degree of stimulation of hippocampal PI breakdown by 0.4, 2, 10 or 100 microM noradrenaline. It is concluded that there is no supersensitivity of hippocampal alpha 1-adrenoceptors coupled to PI breakdown after repeated antidepressant treatment under the conditions used.