A epilepsia é a segunda causa mais freqüente de doenças neurológicas em adultos. A maioria dos pacientes epilépticos apresenta epilepsia do lobo temporal (ELT), cuja zona epileptogênica está localizada no lobo temporal. Altas taxas de psicopatologias são observadas em pacientes com epilepsia, principalmente ELT, quando comparados com a população geral. Uma vez que o neurotransmissor serotonina (5-HT) contribui com o neurodesenvolvimento, funcionalidade e plasticidade do cérebro adulto, alterações na neurotransmissão serotoninérgica poderiam contribuir para a etiologia da epilepsia. Além disso, a disfunção na atividade serotoninérgica no cérebro poderia aumentar a susceptibilidade a psicopatologias nos pacientes com epilepsia. Nesta linha, estudos de PET demonstraram uma diminuição no potencial de ligação dos receptores de serotonina (5-HT1A) em pacientes com epilepsia do lobo temporal, sendo que esta diminuição parece ser mais proeminente em pacientes epilépticos com depressão. Assim, genes relacionados com a neurotransmissão serotoninérgica são importantes candidatos para estudos de associação com a epilepsia. No presente trabalho, nós avaliamos o impacto de polimorfismos no gene do transportador da serotonina (5-HTT) e no gene do receptor 5-HT1A na ELT e em suas comorbidades psiquiátricas. O gene do transportador da serotonina apresenta dois polimorfismos com consequências funcionais na sua expressão: uma inserção/deleção de 44 pares de base na região flanqueadora 5’ (5-HTTLPR), e um número variável de repetições em tandem (VNTR) no intron 2 (5-HTTVNTR). O gene codificador do receptor 5-HT1A contém um polimorfismo de troca única de base (SNP) na região promotora (C-1019G) que altera a expressão gênica. Foram incluídos neste estudo 175 pacientes com ELT, dos quais 155 tinham avaliação neuropsiquiátrica, e 155 controles saudáveis. Primeiramente foi avaliado o impacto dos polimorfismos 5HTTLPR, 5HTTVNTR e C- 1019G na epilepsia do lobo temporal. Analisando os genótipos do 5-HTTVNTR e 5- HTTLPR combinados pela atividade transcricional, os genótipos de baixa expressão gênica foram mais freqüentes nos pacientes com ELT que nos controles saudáveis (O.R.=3.24; 95% I.C.=1.08 a 9.73; p=0.036). Esta associação com genótipos de baixa atividade trascricional do 5-HTT poderia estar relacionada com alterações funcionais do sistema serotoninérgico, aumentando o risco para epilepsia. Entretanto, não foi encontrada associação entre o polimorfismo C-1019G e a ELT. Na segunda parte deste trabalho, nós avaliamos a influência destes polimorfismos nas comorbidades de doenças psiquiátricas, entre elas transtorno de humor e ansiedade, em pacientes com ELT. Não foi encontrada diferença significativa na frequência dos polimorfismos no gene do transportador da serotonina (5-HTT) entre pacientes com ou sem comorbidade psiquiátrica. Entretanto o polimorfismo C-1019G foi associado com transtorno de ansiedade nos pacientes com ELT. Baseado em nossos resultados, sugerimos que alterações em genes relacionados à serotonina, como 5-HTT e 5-HT1A, poderiam estar envolvidas na gênese da ELT e nas características clínicas desta doença. Além disso, nós acreditamos que estudos futuros realizados com essa metodologia serão importantes para o estabelecimento das bases genéticas envolvidas nas manifestações neuropsiquiátricas da epilepsia do lobo temporal. / Epilepsy is the second most frequent cause of neurological disorders in young adults. The majority of the patients suffer from temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Higher rates of psychopathology are observed in patients with epilepsy, especially in those with TLE. Since neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT) contributes to neurodevelopment, functionality and plasticity of the adult brain, serotonin may contribute to the etiology of epilepsy. Moreover, the impairment of serotoninergic activity in the brain may enhance susceptibility to psychopathologies in patients with epilepsy. In this line, PET studies showed a decreased serotonin receptor 1A binding in TLE patients, and this alteration seems to be higher in epileptic patients with depression. In this study we evaluated the impact of serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene and serotonin receptor 1A (5-HT1A) polymorphisms over TLE and its psychiatric comorbidities. The 5-HTT gene has two polymorphisms with functional consequences: a 44 base pairs insertion/deletion polymorphism in the 5’ flanking region of this gene (5-HTTLPR), and a variable number of tandem repeats in the intron 2 (5-HTTVNTR). The gene encoding serotonin receptor 1A contains a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the promoter region (C-1019G) that regulates gene expression. In this study, were included 165 TLE patients, 155of these had been evaluated for neuropsychiatric disease, and 110 health controls. We first evaluated the impact of 5HTTLPR, 5HTTVNTR and C-1019G in temporal lobe epilepsy. When 5-HTTVNTR and 5-HTTLPR genotypes were combined by transcriptional efficiency, the low expressing genotypes were more frequent in TLE patients than in healthy controls (O.R.=3.24; 95% I.C.=1.08 a 9.73; p=0.036). This could be related to functional alterations and outgrowth inhibition of the serotonin system, and subsequently enhance the risk to epilepsy in adulthood. However we did not find an association between C-1019G and TLE. In the second part of this work we evaluated the influence of these polymorphisms on the risk for psychiatric diseases in these patients, among them mood and anxiety disorder. There were no significant differences between genotypes frequencies of 5-HTT polymorphisms and presence of any psychiatry disease. However, the C-1019G polymorphism was associated with anxiety disorder in TLE patients. Based in our results, we suggest that alteration in serotonin related genes, such as 5-HTT and 5- HT1A, might be involved in the genesis of TLE and in clinical characteristics of this disease. Moreover we believe that further studies involving molecular methodologies will be important to establish the genetic bases involved in the neuropsychiatric manifestations of TLE.

A epilepsia é a segunda causa mais freqüente de doenças neurológicas em adultos. A maioria dos pacientes epilépticos apresenta epilepsia do lobo temporal (ELT), cuja zona epileptogênica está localizada no lobo temporal. Altas taxas de psicopatologias são observadas em pacientes com epilepsia, principalmente ELT, quando comparados com a população geral. Uma vez que o neurotransmissor serotonina (5-HT) contribui com o neurodesenvolvimento, funcionalidade e plasticidade do cérebro adulto, alterações na neurotransmissão serotoninérgica poderiam contribuir para a etiologia da epilepsia. Além disso, a disfunção na atividade serotoninérgica no cérebro poderia aumentar a susceptibilidade a psicopatologias nos pacientes com epilepsia. Nesta linha, estudos de PET demonstraram uma diminuição no potencial de ligação dos receptores de serotonina (5-HT1A) em pacientes com epilepsia do lobo temporal, sendo que esta diminuição parece ser mais proeminente em pacientes epilépticos com depressão. Assim, genes relacionados com a neurotransmissão serotoninérgica são importantes candidatos para estudos de associação com a epilepsia. No presente trabalho, nós avaliamos o impacto de polimorfismos no gene do transportador da serotonina (5-HTT) e no gene do receptor 5-HT1A na ELT e em suas comorbidades psiquiátricas. O gene do transportador da serotonina apresenta dois polimorfismos com consequências funcionais na sua expressão: uma inserção/deleção de 44 pares de base na região flanqueadora 5’ (5-HTTLPR), e um número variável de repetições em tandem (VNTR) no intron 2 (5-HTTVNTR). O gene codificador do receptor 5-HT1A contém um polimorfismo de troca única de base (SNP) na região promotora (C-1019G) que altera a expressão gênica. Foram incluídos neste estudo 175 pacientes com ELT, dos quais 155 tinham avaliação neuropsiquiátrica, e 155 controles saudáveis. Primeiramente foi avaliado o impacto dos polimorfismos 5HTTLPR, 5HTTVNTR e C- 1019G na epilepsia do lobo temporal. Analisando os genótipos do 5-HTTVNTR e 5- HTTLPR combinados pela atividade transcricional, os genótipos de baixa expressão gênica foram mais freqüentes nos pacientes com ELT que nos controles saudáveis (O.R.=3.24; 95% I.C.=1.08 a 9.73; p=0.036). Esta associação com genótipos de baixa atividade trascricional do 5-HTT poderia estar relacionada com alterações funcionais do sistema serotoninérgico, aumentando o risco para epilepsia. Entretanto, não foi encontrada associação entre o polimorfismo C-1019G e a ELT. Na segunda parte deste trabalho, nós avaliamos a influência destes polimorfismos nas comorbidades de doenças psiquiátricas, entre elas transtorno de humor e ansiedade, em pacientes com ELT. Não foi encontrada diferença significativa na frequência dos polimorfismos no gene do transportador da serotonina (5-HTT) entre pacientes com ou sem comorbidade psiquiátrica. Entretanto o polimorfismo C-1019G foi associado com transtorno de ansiedade nos pacientes com ELT. Baseado em nossos resultados, sugerimos que alterações em genes relacionados à serotonina, como 5-HTT e 5-HT1A, poderiam estar envolvidas na gênese da ELT e nas características clínicas desta doença. Além disso, nós acreditamos que estudos futuros realizados com essa metodologia serão importantes para o estabelecimento das bases genéticas envolvidas nas manifestações neuropsiquiátricas da epilepsia do lobo temporal. / Epilepsy is the second most frequent cause of neurological disorders in young adults. The majority of the patients suffer from temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Higher rates of psychopathology are observed in patients with epilepsy, especially in those with TLE. Since neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT) contributes to neurodevelopment, functionality and plasticity of the adult brain, serotonin may contribute to the etiology of epilepsy. Moreover, the impairment of serotoninergic activity in the brain may enhance susceptibility to psychopathologies in patients with epilepsy. In this line, PET studies showed a decreased serotonin receptor 1A binding in TLE patients, and this alteration seems to be higher in epileptic patients with depression. In this study we evaluated the impact of serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene and serotonin receptor 1A (5-HT1A) polymorphisms over TLE and its psychiatric comorbidities. The 5-HTT gene has two polymorphisms with functional consequences: a 44 base pairs insertion/deletion polymorphism in the 5’ flanking region of this gene (5-HTTLPR), and a variable number of tandem repeats in the intron 2 (5-HTTVNTR). The gene encoding serotonin receptor 1A contains a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the promoter region (C-1019G) that regulates gene expression. In this study, were included 165 TLE patients, 155of these had been evaluated for neuropsychiatric disease, and 110 health controls. We first evaluated the impact of 5HTTLPR, 5HTTVNTR and C-1019G in temporal lobe epilepsy. When 5-HTTVNTR and 5-HTTLPR genotypes were combined by transcriptional efficiency, the low expressing genotypes were more frequent in TLE patients than in healthy controls (O.R.=3.24; 95% I.C.=1.08 a 9.73; p=0.036). This could be related to functional alterations and outgrowth inhibition of the serotonin system, and subsequently enhance the risk to epilepsy in adulthood. However we did not find an association between C-1019G and TLE. In the second part of this work we evaluated the influence of these polymorphisms on the risk for psychiatric diseases in these patients, among them mood and anxiety disorder. There were no significant differences between genotypes frequencies of 5-HTT polymorphisms and presence of any psychiatry disease. However, the C-1019G polymorphism was associated with anxiety disorder in TLE patients. Based in our results, we suggest that alteration in serotonin related genes, such as 5-HTT and 5- HT1A, might be involved in the genesis of TLE and in clinical characteristics of this disease. Moreover we believe that further studies involving molecular methodologies will be important to establish the genetic bases involved in the neuropsychiatric manifestations of TLE.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a mood disorder majorly responsible for disability and mortality worldwide. With a lifetime prevalence of 15-20%, it is the main cause of functional impairment in Western societies as well as the fourth most debilitating illness in the world. Although the pathophysiology of MDD is not yet fully understood, some evidence that suggest the presence of a neuroanatomical deficiency have given rise to the theory of a specific imbalance in the monoamine neurotransmitters noradrenaline (NA) and/or serotonin (5-HT) levels in the brain. Overall, the various classes of antidepressant agents that have been developed to increase monoamine levels on the basis of this proposal have been successful. However, facts relating to prevalent escalation in the illness and recurring episodes of depression point towards a need to enhance clinical treatment. Most conventional antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and selective serotonin and noradrenaline inhibitors (SNRI) pose problems in symptomatic improvement. These include therapeutic lag, safety and tolerability issues, making more than 30% patients with MDD unable to reach adequate relief. In this respect, the action mechanism has moved beyond conventional SSRI and lead to the introduction of vilazodone, a novel antidepressant with an additional 5-HT1A partial agonist profile argued to be of potential benefit for a greater efficacy, faster onset of action and better tolerability. Using secondary data, this project aimed to evaluate the role of vilazodone as a SPARI-drug in the overall clinical treatment of MDD as well as its potential in addressing some of the most common obstacles in antidepressant treatment. Study results proved vilazodone’s efficacy to be superior to placebo. Patients across all studies showed significant improvement in depressive symptoms measured in MADRS and HAMD17. Vilazodone was also shown to be generally safe and tolerable but was not positively distinguished from placebo with regards to adverse effects. An overall, meaningful improvement in depressive symptoms was demonstrated in vilazodone, which reinforces its merit as an important treatment option for patients with MDD.

The mechanisms that govern the repression of 5-HT1A receptor gene expression mediated by a novel mental retardation gene, Freud-1, were examined in HEK293 and SKNSH cells. This study provides a possible mechanism of 5-HT1A receptor gene regulation by Freud-1, which, to mediate its action, recruits Swi/Snf and Sin3A/histone deacetylase (HDAC) complexes in non-neuronal HEK293 cells and Swi/Snf only in neuronal, 5-HT1A receptor-expressing SKNSH cells. Thus, Freud-1 has a dual mechanism of repression depending on cell type: HDAC dependent in HEK293 cells and HDAC independent in SKNSH cells. In addition, I present evidence that Freud-1 is not sumoylated at its consensus sumoylation sites and I present the lipid binding properties of Freud-1 and Freud-1 mutants.

The serotonergic and cholinergic systems are jointly involved in regulating sleep but this balance is theorized to be disturbed in depressed individuals (Janowsky 1972, Jouvet 1972). One potential cause of disturbed neurotransmission is genetic predisposition. The G(-1019) allele of the 5-HT1A receptor predicts an increased risk for depression compared to the wild-type C(-1019) allele. The goal of this study was to use pharmacological probes in normal controls to model the serotonergic/cholinergic imbalance of depression and its associated abnormalities in sleep structure while controlling for 5-HT1A receptor genotype. Seventeen healthy female participants homozygous for either C (n=11) or G (n=6) alleles, age 18-27 years were tested on four non-consecutive nights. Participants were given galantamine (an anti-acetylcholinesterase), buspirone (a serotonergic agonist), both drugs together, or placebos before sleeping. Buspirone suppressed tonic REM: there was a significant increase in REM latency (p<0.001). Galantamine increased tonic REM sleep, leading to more time spent in stage REM (p<0.001) and shorter REM latency (p<0.01). Galantamine and buspirone given together tended to negate the effects of each other on REM sleep measures but disrupted sleep more than either drug alone, showing lower SE and N3% and increased awakenings, Wake% and N1% (p<0.019). There was no main effect of genotype nor was there a significant multivariate interaction between genotype and drug condition. These findings are partially consistent with the literature about sleep in depression, notably short REM latency, higher percentage of total sleep time spent in REM, and increased sleep fragmentation. The C/G mutation in the 5-HT1A receptor does not appear to cause noticeable differences in the sleep patterns of healthy young females.

No / The 5-HT1A receptor has been extensively studied over the last two decades. There is a plethora of information describing its anatomical, physiological and biochemical roles in the brain. In addition, the development of selective pharmacological tools coupled with our understanding of psychiatric pathology has lead to multiple hypotheses for the therapeutic utility of 5- and in particular 5-HT1A receptor antagonists. Over the last decade it has been suggested that 5-HT1A receptor antagonists may have therapeutic utility in such diseases as depression, anxiety, drug and nicotine withdrawal as well as schizophrenia. However, a very compelling rationale has been developed for the therapeutic potential of 5-HT1A receptor antagonists in Alzheimer s disease and potentially other diseases with associated cognitive dysfunction. Receptor blockade by a 5-HT1A receptor antagonist appears to enhance activation and signaling through heterosynaptic neuronal circuits known to be involved in cognitive processes and, as such, represents a novel therapeutic approach to the treatment of cognitive deficits associated with Alzheimer s disease and potentially other disorders with underlying cognitive dysfunction.

Yes / Rationale: 5-HT receptor mechanisms have been suggested to mediate improvements in cognition in schizophrenia. Aim: To investigate the involvement of 5-HT receptor mechanisms in sub-chronic PCP-induced reversal learning deficits in female rats, a task of relevance to schizophrenia. Methods: Adult female hooded-Lister rats were trained to perform an operant reversal learning task and then received sub-chronic PCP (2 mg/kg) or vehicle i.p. twice daily for seven days, followed by 7-days washout. Rats then received an acute dose of the 5-HT7 receptor antagonist SB-269970A (1.0, 3.0, 10.0 mg/kg; i.p.) or vehicle. In experiment 2, PCP-treated rats received the selective 5-HT2C receptor antagonist, SB-243213A acutely (1.0, 3.0, 10.0 mg/kg; i.p.) or vehicle. In experiment 3, PCP-treated rats received the 5-HT1A receptor partial agonist, buspirone (0.15625, 0.3125, 0.625 mg/kg, i.p.) in combination with the selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY-100635 (0.3, 1.0 mg/kg). Results: In all experiments sub-chronic PCP significantly impaired reversal phase performance (P<0.01-0.001), with no effect in the initial phase. SB-269970A at 3.0 and 10.0 mg/kg significantly improved the PCP-induced deficit (P<0.05). SB-243213A also significantly attenuated the deficit at 10 mg/kg (P<0.05). In experiment 3, buspirone attenuated the deficit with significant effects at 0.3125 mg/kg and 0.625 mg/kg (P<0.05). WAY-100635 at 0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg produced a partial attenuation of buspirone’s effect as buspirone (0.3125 mg/kg) in the presence of WAY-100635 did not significantly reverse the PCP-induced deficit. Conclusions: These studies implicate the role of 5-HT7, 5-HT2C and 5-HT1A receptors in the improvement of cognitive dysfunction of relevance to schizophrenia.

No description available.

In the present study 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) 1A receptor knockout mice (KO), mice overexpressing the 5-HT1A receptor (OE), and wild-type (WT) mice were used to investigate the influence of 5-HT1A receptor on the development of the serotonergic system in the brain, from the embryonic day 12.5 to the postnatal day 15.5. Neither the absence nor the overexpression of 5-HT1A receptor influenced the development and differentiation of serotonergic neurons in the raphe area of the mouse brain. However, a delay in the initial development of the serotonergic projections to the mesencephalic tegmentum, cerebral cortex and hypothalamus was observed in both transgenic mice lines. The brain levels of 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were significantly higher in both transgenic mice lines during the late embryonic and early postnatal periods as compared to WT mice. An increase in the turnover of 5-HT was not observed before the early postnatal period. Both the absence and the overexpression of 5-HT1A receptor delayed the development of the dopaminergic system of the mesencephalic tegmentum in the early embryonic period. In OE mice the postnatal development of the noradrenergic system appeared to be exaggerated. The immunoreactivity for the neurotrophic protein S100ß was higher in the cerebral cortex, striatum and hippocampus of OE mice as compare to WT and KO mice. The expression of synaptic proteins, such as synapatobrevin and synaptotagmin was reduced in KO and OE mice during the early embryonic period. This reduction may be linked to the delayed development of the serotonergic projections and the dopaminergic system. In addition, no influence of 5-HT1A receptor mutations on the myelination of the brain was observed. Zusammenfassung In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden die 5-Hydroxytryptamin (5-HT)1A Rezeptor Knockout (KO), überexprimierenden (ÜE) Mäuse und die Wild-Typ (WT) Mäuse, in den Entwicklungsperioden vom embryonalen Tag 12,5 bis postnatalen Tag 15,5 untersucht, um weitere Informationen über den Einfluss vom 5-HT1A Rezeptor auf die Entwicklung des serotonergen Systems im Gehirn zu erhalten. Sowohl das Fehlen des 5-HT1A Rezeptors als auch dessen Überexpression hatten zwar keinen Einfluss auf die Entwicklung und Differenzierung der serotonergen Neurone in den Raphe Regionen, verzögerte aber die erste Entwicklung der serotonergen Innervierungen im mesencephalen Tegmentum, Hypothalamus und cerebralen Cortex. In den späten embryonalen und insbesondere frühpostnatalen Perioden waren die 5-HT- und 5-HIAA-Spiegel bei KO und ÜE Mäusen im Vergleich zu WT Mäusen signifikant erhöht. Eine Erhöhung des 5-HT Turnovers wurde erst in der frühpostnatalen Periode beobachtet. Auch die Entwicklung des dopaminergen Systems im Mesencephalon war in der frühen embryonalen Periode sowohl bei KO als auch bei ÜE Mäusen verlangsamt. Die Überexpression des 5-HT1A Rezeptors begünstigte möglicherweise die postnatale Entwicklung des noradrenergen Systems. Bei ÜE Mäusen war die Immunreaktivität des neurotrophen Proteins S100? im cerebralen Cortex, Hippocampus und Striatum stärker als bei WT und KO Mäusen. Die Expression der synaptischen Proteine wie Synaptobrevin und Synaptotagmin war sowohl bei KO als auch bei ÜE Mäusen in der frühen embryonalen Periode verzögert. Dies könnte mit der verzögerten Entwicklung der serotonergen Projektionen und des dopaminergen Systems in Zusammenhang stehen. Darüber hinaus hatten transgene Veränderungen am 5-HT1A Rezeptor keinen Einfluss auf die Myelinisierung im Gehirn der Maus. Schlagwörter: serotonerges System, Entwicklung des Gehirns, 5-HT1A Rezeptor, transgene Mäuse, dopaminerges System, noradrenerges System, S100ß, Synaptisches Protein, Myelinisierung / In the present study 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) 1A receptor knockout mice (KO), mice overexpressing the 5-HT1A receptor (OE), and wild-type (WT) mice were used to investigate the influence of 5-HT1A receptor on the development of the serotonergic system in the brain, from the embryonic day 12.5 to the postnatal day 15.5. Neither the absence nor the overexpression of 5-HT1A receptor influenced the development and differentiation of serotonergic neurons in the raphe area of the mouse brain. However, a delay in the initial development of the serotonergic projections to the mesencephalic tegmentum, cerebral cortex and hypothalamus was observed in both transgenic mice lines. The brain levels of 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were significantly higher in both transgenic mice lines during the late embryonic and early postnatal periods as compared to WT mice. An increase in the turnover of 5-HT was not observed before the early postnatal period. Both the absence and the overexpression of 5-HT1A receptor delayed the development of the dopaminergic system of the mesencephalic tegmentum in the early embryonic period. In OE mice the postnatal development of the noradrenergic system appeared to be exaggerated. The immunoreactivity for the neurotrophic protein S100ß was higher in the cerebral cortex, striatum and hippocampus of OE mice as compare to WT and KO mice. The expression of synaptic proteins, such as synapatobrevin and synaptotagmin was reduced in KO and OE mice during the early embryonic period. This reduction may be linked to the delayed development of the serotonergic projections and the dopaminergic system. In addition, no influence of 5-HT1A receptor mutations on the myelination of the brain was observed.

O comportamento emocional tem sido considerado fundamental para a sobrevivência dos animais, sendo o medo uma se suas mais primitivas e importantes formas. A substância cinzenta periaquedutal dorsal (SCPD) tem-se destacado como uma estrutura importante na organização das respostas defensivas. Estudos usando estimulação elétrica e química da SCPD e microinjeções de drogas agonistas e antagonistas de receptores serotoninérgicos mostraram uma mediação serotoninérgica através dos subtipos de receptores 5-HT1A e 5-HT2A na regulação do comportamento defensivo organizado nesta estrutura. O objetivo deste trabalho foi examinar a mediação serotoninérgica na SCPD através de receptores 5-HT1A nas respostas defensivas de animais sem e com experi~encia aversiva prévia. Para isto, os limiares de congelamento e fuga foram determinados em ratos implantados com uma cânula acoplada a um eletrodo na SCPD, antes e após microinjeção local do agonista 8-OH-DPAT (4 e 8 nmol) e do antagonista WAY100635 (10 nmol). Os efeitos destas drogas injetadas na SCPD foram avaliados também sobre o tempo de congelamento pós-estimulação em animais ingênuos e também em animais colocados em um contexto no qual receberam choques inescapáveis nas patas 24h antes (medo condiconado contextual). O 8-OH-DPAT, de maneira dose dependente, produziu um efeito anti-aversivo sobre os limiares de congelamento e fuga em ratos sem experiência aversiva prévia, mas não nos animais com experiência aversiva prévia quando comparado com seus controles. Por outro lado, este agonista 5-HT1A reduziu o tempo de congelamento contextual. Já o WAY100635 não produziu alterações significativas sobre os limiares aversivos em ratos ingênuos ou com experiência aversiva prévia, mas elevou o tempo de congelamento contextual nestes aniamis (efeito pró-aversivo). Estes resultados estão em concordância com a idéia de uma modulação fásica exercida pela 5-HT sobre os substratos neurais do medo organizado na SCPD. Por outro lado, mecanismos mediados pelos receptores 5-HT1A não são alterados em animais com experiência aversiva prévia. Acreditamos que estes resultados trazem uma contribuição importante para a nossa compreensão sobre a integração de estados aversivos no SNC e, particularmente sobre o funcionamento destes substratos neurais de defesa na SCPD de animais com experiência aversiva prévia. / It is well established that 5-HT1 mechanisms modulate the defensive behavior produced by stimulation of the dorsal periaqueductal gray (dPAG). However, in spite of the notion that past stressful experiences play a role in certain types of anxiety only few studies with stimulation of the dPAG of rats without previous aversive experience have been conducted so far. In this study, we examined the mediation of 5-HT1 receptors of the dPAG in rats naive and in rats previously submitted to contextual fear conditionong (CFC). Defensive behaviors induced by activation of the dPAG were assessed by measuring the lowest intensity of electric current applied to this structure (threshold) able to produce freezing and escape responses during testing sessions of CFC, in which animals were placed in a context previously paired to footshocks. The persistence of the freezing behavior after the interruption of the dPAG electrical stimulation was also evaluated. The 5-HT1 function of the dPAG in this condition was evaluated by local injectinos of 8-OH-DPAT (4 and 8 nmol/) and WAY100635 (10nmol), selective agonist and antagonist of 5-HT1 receptors, respectively. In accordance with previous studies, 8-OH-DPAT increased the aversive thresholds (antiaversive effects) and injection of WAY100635 into the dPAG did not produce significant effects in naive rats. On the contrary, both serotonergic drugs 8-OH-DPAT and WAY100635 did not produce any significant effects on the aversive thresholds. Post-stimulation freezing was not affected by any treatment given to animals before or after CFC. However, the contextual conditioned freezing was attenuated or enhanced by intra-dPAG of 8-OH-DPAT and WAY100635, respectively. The present results suggest that 5-HT1 receptor-mediated mechanisms exert a phasic inhibition on the neural substrates of fear in the dPAG in naive rats whereas past stressful experience does not produce significant changes in the synaptic function of 5-HT1 receptors within the dPAG.