Emotional and risk seeking behavior after prepuberal subchronic or adult acute stimulation of 5-HT7-Rs in Naples High Excitability rats.

We report here the results of studies aimed to investigate the involvement of serotonin receptor 7 subtype (5-HT7-R) in the modulation of emotional response in Naples High-Excitability (NHE) rat, a validated model for hyperactivity and impaired attention. A range of dosages (0.0, 0.125, 0.250, or 0.500 mg/kg) of LP-211, a selective agonist of 5-HT7-Rs, has been evaluated in animals at different age (adolescence and adulthood). Male NHE and random bred (NRB) control rats were tested in an Elevated Zero-Maze (EZM) after LP-211 treatment in two different regimens: at the issue of adolescent, subchronic exposure (14 intraperitoneal [i.p.] injections, once/day, pnd 31–44, tested on pnd 45—Exp. 1) or as adult, acute effect (15 min after i.p. injection—Exp. 2). Adolescent, subchronic LP-211 at 0.500 mg/kg dosage increased the frequency of head-dips only in NHE rats. Drug effect on time spent and entries in open EZM quadrants were revealed with adult, acute administration of 0.125 mg/kg LP-211 (both strains), indicating a tendency toward anxiolytic effects. In conclusion, data demonstrate that subchronic stimulation of 5-HT7-Rs during prepuberal period increases novelty-seeking/risk-taking propensity in NHE adults. These sequels are revealing increased disinhibition and/or motivation to explore in the NHE rats, which are characterized by a hyperactive dopaminergic system. These data may open new perspectives in studying mechanism of risk-seeking behavior. Synapse 68:159–167, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.