Long-term effect of antidepressant drugs and electroconvulsive shock (ECS) on cortical alpha 1-adrenoceptors following destruction of dopaminergic nerve terminals.

The effect of repeated treatment with imipramine, citalopram and ECS on the density of alpha 1-adrenoceptors in the cerebral cortex of rats with a dopaminergic lesion was studied. Imipramine and citalopram produced alph 1-upregulation in normal animals but not in animals with a dopaminergic lesion. On the other hand, ECS, produced such an effect in both normal and lesioned rats. Our results indicate that the investigated drugs (imipramine, citalopram) and ECS induce alpha 1-up-regulation via different mechanisms, and that the effect of these drugs depends on intact dopaminergic nerve terminals.