Pharmacological effects of p-chloroamphetamine with respect to current amine hypotheses of affective disorders.

The effects of p-chloroamphetamine (pCA) on the regional distribution of dopamine, noradrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine in rat brain were studied at both 3 and 30 days after a single injection. It was found that pCA has no significant effect on the levels of dopamine or noradrenaline at either of the times studied. Conversely pCA had an effect on the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine but the effect was both time and area dependent. pCA has been shown to be an effective antidepressant. Since the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine were reduced in all areas studied and there was no effect on the levels of the two catecholamines, the results found in the study do not support an amine hypothesis in which these transmitters are implicated.