Abstract
Rats displayed a reduction in the percentage of time spent on the open arms of the elevated plus-maze 24-30 hours after withdrawal from chronic chlordiazepoxide treatment (10 mg/kg/day IP for 4 weeks). This indicated an anxiogenic response in this test. This anxiogenic response was not significantly reversed by DL-propranolol (5 and 10 mg/kg IP) or clonidine (0.02 and 0.04 mg/kg IP). These results provide no evidence to suggest that the anxiogenic effects of chlordiazepoxide withdrawal are mediated by an increase in noradrenergic activity. The possible involvement of multiple transmitter systems in benzodiazepine withdrawal symptomology is discussed.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 931-9333 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior |
Volume | 34 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Dec 1989 |
Keywords
- Animals
- Anxiety/chemically induced
- Chlordiazepoxide/adverse effects
- Clonidine/pharmacology
- Learning/drug effects
- Male
- Norepinephrine/metabolism
- Propranolol/pharmacology
- Rats
- Rats, Inbred Strains
- Substance Withdrawal Syndrome/metabolism