[Neurobiology of tianeptine. A new pharmaceutic agent].

In ex vivo experiments, tianeptine increased serotonin uptake in the hippocampus and the cortex acutely and after 72 hours following chronic administration for 15 days. This effect results from an increased maximal rate of uptake without changes in the number or affinity to binding sites for I'3H-imipramine or I'3H-paroxetin. In addition, tianeptine increased extracellular levels of 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) in hippocampus and hypothalamus measured with in vivo voltametry. It can thus be concluded that tianeptine also raises 5-hydrotryptamine (5HT) uptake in vivo. The effects of tianeptine on the serotoninergic system, especially the increase in serotonin uptake, are discussed in relation with its effects on behaviour and the dopaminergic and cholinergic systems.