Effects of caffeine and L-phenylisopropyladenosine on locomotor activity of mice.

C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice were used to determine if possible differences in the behavioral response to caffeine might be related to differences in A1 adenosine receptors. Caffeine stimulated locomotor activity of both strains, but the dose-response relationship and time course of drug action differed according to strain. Although their response to caffeine differed, the strains did not differ in response to the A1 adenosine agonist L-phenylisopropyladenosine (PIA) nor in the binding of the A1 agonist [3H]N6-cyclohexyladenosine (CHA) in various brain regions. Thus, the behavioral differences in response to caffeine could not be accounted for by differences in adenosine binding. Of alternative mechanisms, strain differences in A2 receptors appear to be the most promising.