Behavioral effects of adenosine agonists: Evaluation by punishment, discrete shuttle avoidance and activity tests in mice.

Abstract

ABSTRACT-Behavioral effects of propentofylline and N6-(L-2-phenylisopropyl)-adenosine (PIA) were evaluated by operant behavior under a punishment situation, discrete shuttle avoidance response and ambulatory activity in mice. Propentofylline (3 mg/kg, s.c.) and PIA (0.01 mg/kg, s.c.) significantly decreased the punished response without producing a significant change in the non-punished response. Propentofylline and PIA reduced the increase in the punished response induced by caffeine (30 mg/kg) and diazepam (1 mg/kg). Propentofylline and PIA also reduced the increase of ambulation induced by caffeine. Furthermore, the single administration of propentofylline and PIA decreased the response rate and/or % avoidance in the discrete shuttle avoidance situation. However, the effective doses of propentofylline and PIA to reduce the ambulation-increasing effect of caffeine and to produce a change in the avoidance behavior were much higher than those effective for eliciting a significant change in the punished response. The present results suggest that there is an intimate interaction between central adenosine and benzodiazepine systems with regards to the change of punished response.

Anxiolytic activity of adenosine receptor activation in mice

“…or 5'N-ethylcarboxamide adenosine (NECA) did not yield any anticonflict activity in a punished responding paradigm, while the results of Haraguchi & Kuribara (1991) indicate that a reliable suppression of punished responding could be obtained, but only at doses of 0.1 and 0.3 mg kg-' which also depressed non-punished responding. R-PIA and NECA have both been claimed to facilitate shock avoidance at some doses (Coffin & Spealman, 1985), while low doses of R-PIA could inhibit the increase of punished responding and other behaviours produced by diazepam (Coffin & Spealman, 1985;Haraguchi & Kuribara, 1991). In the social interaction test 2-chloroadenosine was reported to have no effect on behaviour (Baldwin & File, 1989), although it is unlikely that this agent would cross the blood-brain barrier in significant amounts.…”

“…R-PIA and NECA have both been claimed to facilitate shock avoidance at some doses (Coffin & Spealman, 1985), while low doses of R-PIA could inhibit the increase of punished responding and other behaviours produced by diazepam (Coffin & Spealman, 1985;Haraguchi & Kuribara, 1991). In the social interaction test 2-chloroadenosine was reported to have no effect on behaviour (Baldwin & File, 1989), although it is unlikely that this agent would cross the blood-brain barrier in significant amounts.…”