Investigation of the influence of lithium upon the down-regulation of serotonin2 receptors in rat frontal cortex induced by long-term treatment with dibenzepin, an antidepressant without appreciable affinity to serotonin2 receptors.

Investigation of the influence of lithium upon the down-regulation of serotonin2 receptors in rat frontal cortex induced by long-term treatment with dibenzepin, an antidepressant without appreciable affinity to serotonin2 receptors. Groups of rats were treated orally for four weeks with either dibenzepin, lithiumcarbonate, or dibenzepine + lithium carbonate. Serotonin2 receptors were labelled with the new selective ligand [3H]mesulergine. Chronic treatment with dibenzepin caused down-regulation of serotonin2 receptors in the frontal cortex. Chronic treatment with lithiumcarbonate alone did not change the specific [3H]mesulergine binding. Given simultaneously with dibenzepin lithium did not prevent the down-regulation of serotonin2 receptors seen after dibenzepin alone.