Differential behavioral syndrome evoked in the rats after multiple doses of SSRI fluoxetine with selective MAO inhibitors rasagiline or selegiline

Z. Speiser*, T. Fine, L. Litinetsky, S. Eliash, E. Blaugrund, S. Cohen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study investigated whether rasagiline and selegiline (MAO-B inhibitors) induce serotonin syndrome in fluoxetine-treated rats. Rats received rasagiline (0.1, 0.5, 2.0 mg/kg), or selegiline (0.8, 4.0, 16.0 mg/kg) (doses reflecting the clinical ratio of 1:8 base) in drinking water for 28 days. During the last 21 days, they received injections of fluoxetine 10 mg/kg (controls received water only, then saline injections; a fluoxetine only group received water only then fluoxetine). Serotonin syndrome was assessed using neurological severity score (NSS), food intake and weight gain. Mean NSS significantly increased, and weight and food consumption significantly decreased in rats receiving fluoxetine alone compared with controls. Selegiline 16 mg/kg but not rasagiline (regardless of dose) exacerbated these effects. We concluded that selegiline's amphetamine-like metabolites may increase synaptic cathecholamines and possibly serotonin, aggravating fluoxetine's effect. Rasagiline is devoid of this effect and may therefore be safer for use with serotonergic drugs in parkinsonian patients.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)107-116
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Neural Transmission
Volume115
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2008

Keywords

  • Amphetamine-like activity
  • Food consumption
  • MAOIs
  • NSS
  • Rasagiline
  • Selegiline
  • Serotonin
  • Serotonin syndrome

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Differential behavioral syndrome evoked in the rats after multiple doses of SSRI fluoxetine with selective MAO inhibitors rasagiline or selegiline'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this