Noradrenaline-stimulated inositol phospholipid breakdown as a measure of alpha1-adrenoceptor function in rat hippocampal miniprisms after repeated antidepressant treatment

Summary Noradrenaline-stimulated inositol phospholipid (PI) breakdown in rat hippocampal miniprisms was used as a measure of alpha₁-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 100M nor-adrenaline. It is concluded that there is no supersensitivity of hippocampal alpha₁-adrenoceptors coupled to PI breakdown after repeated antidepressant treatment under the conditions used.