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Operant acquisition, operant expression, and decision-making differentially rely on brain areas that are differentially affected by antipsychotic and other dopaminergic drugs. The purpose of this thesis was to test if the known differential pharmacological and location of action of antipsychotic and other dopaminergic drugs predict the drug effects on operant acquisition, operant expression, and decision-making. Clozapine and to a lesser extent, risperidone but not metoclopramide or haloperidol affect the prefrontal cortex (PFC); haloperidol, metoclopramide, and to a lesser extent, risperidone affect the dorsolateral striatum (DLS). We used amphetamine as a broadly-acting indirect dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT), and norepinephrine agonist. We found that all antagonists altered operant acquisition and expression, but in different ways. The DA D2-like receptor antagonists blunted reinforcement impact during operant acquisition and induced an extinction-like decline in expression whereas the atypical antipsychotics with high PFC 5-HT-2A affinity maintained inactive lever presses during acquisition, but produced tolerance in expression. Curiously, risperidone and metoclopramide, but not clozapine or haloperidol, more potently suppressed lever pressing in acquisition than expression. In contrast, amphetamine suppressed operant expression, but not acquisition, at a dose range that increased locomotion and induced conditioned place preference. Amphetamine decreased sensitivity to reward presentation and inactive lever pressing during operant acquisition, but had the opposite effects during expression. A very different pattern was found in the rodent gambling task (rGT), a model of the 4- choice (deck) Iowa Gambling Task used in humans. The rGT puts small, immediate rewards that are advantageous in the long-term due to generally fewer and shorter associated penalties in conflict with large, immediate rewards that are disadvantageous in the long-term due to generally more and longer associated penalties. Two antipsychotics (risperidone, haloperidol) but not the anti-emetic (metoclopramide) enhanced performance by shifting preferences towards advantageous options, but the antipsychotic that induces PFC Fos (clozapine) impaired performance. Amphetamine decreased discrimination among different decks in the rGT. These data demonstrate the differential effects of clinically relevant drugs on decision-making and different stages of operant learning. The differential effects on operant responding and decision-making of different antipsychotic drugs provide important information regarding their therapeutic and side-effect profiles. / Thesis (Ph.D, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2013-03-14 16:12:57.629

Contexte Autant dans une population schizophrène que non schizophrène, l‘abus de substance a pour conséquence la manifestation de symptômes psychiatriques et neurologiques. Dans les présentes études cas-témoins, nous avons examiné les différences initiales ainsi que les changements suite au traitement de 12 semaines à la quetiapine au niveau de la sévérité de la toxicomanie et des symptômes psychiatriques et neurologiques chez 3 groupes distincts. Ces 3 groupes sont: des patients schizophrènes avec une toxicomanie (double diagnostic: DD), des patients schizophrènes sans toxicomanie concomittante (SCZ) et finalement, des toxicomanes non schizophrènes (SUD). Parallèlement, afin de nous aider à interpréter nos résultats, nous avons mené deux revues systématiques: la première regardait l‘effet d‘antipsychotiques dans le traitement de troubles d‘abus/dépendance chez des personnes atteintes ou non de psychoses, la deuxième comparait l‘efficacité de la quetiapine et sa relation dose-réponse parmi différents désordres psychiatriques. Méthodes Pour nos études cas-témoins, l‘ensemble des symptômes psychiatriques et neurologiques ont été évalués via l‘Échelle du syndrome positif et négatif (PANSS), l‘Échelle de dépression de Calgary, l‘Échelle des symptômes extrapyramidaux (ESRS) ainsi qu‘avec l‘Échelle d‘akathisie de Barnes. Résultats À la suite du traitement de 12 semaines avec la quetiapine, les groupes SCZ et DD recevaient des doses de quetiapine significativement plus élevées (moyenne = 554 et 478 mg par jour, respectivement) par rapport au groupe SUD (moyenne = 150 mg par jour). Aussi, nous avons observé chez ces mêmes patients SUD une plus importante baisse du montant d‘argent dépensé par semaine en alcool et autres drogues, ainsi qu‘une nette amélioration de la sévérité de la toxicomanie comparativement aux patients DD. Par conséquent, à la fin de l‘essai de 12 semaines, il n‘y avait pas de différence significative dans l‘argent dépensé en alcool et drogues entre les deux groupes de toxicomanes iv or, les patients DD présentait, comme au point de départ, un score de toxicomanie plus sévère que les SUD. Étonnamment, aux points initial et final de l‘étude, le groupe DD souffrait de plus de symptômes parkinsoniens et de dépression que le groupe SCZ. Par ailleurs, nous avons trouvé qu‘initiallement, les patients SUD présentaient significativement plus d‘akathisie, mais qu‘en cours de traitement, cette akathisie reliée à l‘abus/dépendance de cannabis s‘est nettement améliorée en comparaison aux patients SCZ. Enfin, les patients SUD ont bénéficié d‘une plus grande diminution de leurs symptômes positifs que les 2 groupes atteints de schizophrénie. Conclusions Bref, l‘ensemble de nos résultats fait montre d‘une vulnérabilité accentuée par les effets négatifs de l‘alcool et autres drogues dans une population de patients schizophrènes. Également, ces résultats suggèrent que l‘abus de substance en combinaison avec les états de manque miment certains symptômes retrouvés en schizophrénie. De futures études seront nécessaires afin de déterminer le rôle spécifique qu‘a joué la quetiapine dans ces améliorations. / Background Psychiatric and neurological symptoms are consequences of substance abuse in schizophrenia and non-schizophrenia patients. The present case-control studies examined differences in substance abuse/dependence, and psychiatric symptoms and neurological symptoms in substance abusers with [dual diagnosis (DD) group] and without schizophrenia [substance use disorder (SUD) group] and in non-abusing schizophrenia patients (SCZ group) –undergoing 12-week treatment with quetiapine. Furthermore, two systematic reviews were conducted in order help explain our results. The first examined the usefulness of antipsychotics for the treatment of substance abuse/dependence in psychosis and non-psychosis patients. The second examined the dose-response and comparative efficacy of quetiapine across psychiatric disorders. Methods Psychiatric symptoms and neurological symptoms were evaluated with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia, the Extrapyramidal Symptoms Rating Scale, and the Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale. Results DD and SCZ patients were receiving significantly higher doses of quetiapine (mean = 554 and 478 mg per day, respectively), relative to SUD patients (mean = 150 mg per day). We found that SUD patients showed greater improvement in weekly dollars spent on alcohol and drugs and SUD severity, compared to DD patients. At endpoint, there was no significant difference in dollars spent, but DD patients still had a higher mean SUD severity. Interestingly, DD patients had significantly higher parkinsonism and depression than SCZ patients at baseline and endpoint. On the other hand, we found that SUD patients had significantly more akathisia at baseline, improved more than SCZ patients, and this was related to cannabis abuse/dependence. Finally, SUD patients improved more in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale positive scores than DD and SCZ patients. Conclusions Taken together, our results provide evidence for increased vulnerability to the adverse effects of alcohol and drugs in schizophrenia patients. They also suggest that substance abuse/withdrawal may mimic some symptoms of schizophrenia. Future studies will need to determine the role quetiapine played in these improvements.

Les antipsychotiques sont utilisés en clinique depuis plus de 50 ans pour pallier aux symptômes de la schizophrénie. Malgré une recherche intensive, les mécanismes cellulaires et moléculaires responsables de l’effet clinique de cette médication demeurent encore nébuleux. Ces drogues sont reconnues comme des antagonistes des récepteurs D2 de la dopamine et peuvent moduler la transcription génique dans le striatum. Au cours des recherches qui ont mené à l'écriture de cette thèse, nous avons exploré l’expression de Nur77, un facteur de transcription de la famille des récepteurs nucléaires, afin de caractériser le rôle de la dopamine, la sérotonine, l’adénosine et le glutamate dans la régulation génique contrôlée par les antagonistes D2. En premier lieu, nous avons examiné l’impact de la co-administration d’agents sérotonergiques et adrénergiques sur l’expression de l’ARNm de Nur77 induite par l’halopéridol, un antipsychotique de première génération. Nous avons observé que le 8-OH-DPAT et le MDL11939 préviennent partiellement l’induction de Nur77 dans le striatum. Au contraire, l’idazoxan potentialise l’effet de l’halopéridol sur l’expression de Nur77 alors que le prazosin reste sans effet. Ces résultats démontrent que l’expression striatale de Nur77 induite par l’halopéridol peut être modulée à la baisse avec un agoniste 5-HT1A ou un antagoniste 5-HT2A. Par la suite, nous avons évalué dans divers paradigmes expérimentaux l’effet de l’éticlopride, un antagoniste spécifique D2, afin d’explorer davantage le mécanisme de l’effet transcriptionnel des antagonistes D2. Étonnamment, la suppression de l’isoforme D2L chez la souris D2L KO ne réduit pas la réponse de l’éticlopride dans le striatum. Par contre, une lésion corticale avec l’acide iboténique bloque l’effet de l’éticlopride sur la transcription de Nur77, suggérant un rôle du glutamate. La combinaison d’un antagoniste des récepteurs métabotropes du glutamate de types 5 (mGluR5) et d’un antagoniste des récepteurs de l’adénosine A2A abolit complètement l’augmentation de la transcription de Nur77 induit par l’éticlopride dans le striatum. La modulation directe de l’expression striatale de Nur77 par les récepteurs mGluR5 et A2A a été confirmée dans un modèle de cultures organotypiques de tranches cérébrales. Ces résultats démontrent clairement que la modulation de l’expression génique dans le striatum, à la suite d’un traitement avec un antagoniste D2 pourrait être indépendante d’une interaction directe avec les récepteurs D2 post-synaptiques, et reposerait plutôt sur son interaction avec les récepteurs D2 hétérosynaptiques des afférences corticostriées et l’activation subséquente des récepteurs post-synaptiques du glutamate et de l’adénosine. En résumé, nos résultats suggèrent que l’interaction des antipsychotiques atypiques avec les récepteurs 5-HT2A et 5-HT1A pourrait expliquer la différence dans le patron d’expression génique induit par ces drogues en comparaison avec les antipsychotiques typiques. De plus, nos résultats révèlent un nouveau mécanisme d’action des antagonistes D2 et supportent un rôle primordial du glutamate et de l’adénosine dans les effets des antipsychotiques de première génération. / Antipsychotic drugs have been used to alleviate schizophrenia symptoms for more than 50 years. Despite extensive research, little is known about the molecular and cellular mechanism responsible for their clinical outcome. These drugs are usually recognized as dopamine D2 antagonists and are known to modulate gene expression in the striatum. In the present thesis, we used the expression of Nur77, a transcription factor of the orphan nuclear receptor family, to explore the role of dopamine, serotonin, glutamate and adenosine receptors in the effect of a dopamine D2 antagonist in the striatum. First, we examined the abilities of serotoninergic and adrenergic receptor drugs to modify the pattern of Nur77 mRNA expression induced by haloperidol, a first generation antipsychotic drug. We observed that 8-OH-DPAT and MDL11939 partially prevent haloperidol-induced Nur77 upregulation. On the contrary, idazoxan consistently potentiated haloperidol-induced Nur77 mRNA levels in the striatum whereas prazosin remained without effect. Taken together, these results show the ability of a 5-HT1A agonist or a 5-HT2A antagonist to reduce haloperidol-induced Nur77 striatal expression. Subsequently, we evaluated in different experimental designs the effect of eticlopride, a specific D2 antagonist, to provide additional information on the mechanism by which D2 antagonist controls transcriptional activity in the striatum. Surprisingly, deletion of the D2L receptor isoform did not reduce eticlopride-induced upregulation of Nur77 mRNA levels in the striatum. However, cortical lesions with ibotenic acid strongly reduced eticlopride-induced upregulation of Nur77 mRNA, suggesting a role for glutamate neurotransmission. A combination of a metabotropic glutamate type 5 (mGluR5) antagonist with an antagonist of its synergistic partner adenosine A2A receptor abolished eticlopride-induced upregulation of Nur77 mRNA levels in the striatum. Direct modulation of striatal Nur77 expression by glutamate and adenosine receptors was confirmed using corticostriatal organotypic cultures. Taken together, these results indicate that modulation of gene expression in the striatum, following a D2 antagonist, might not involve a direct interaction of the drug at postsynaptic D2 receptors, but rather relies on its interaction with corticostriatal presynaptic D2 receptors and subsequent activation of postsynaptic glutamate and adenosine receptors in the striatum. In summary, our results suggest that interaction of atypical antipsychotic drugs with 5-HT2A and 5-HT1A receptors participate in the differential pattern of gene expression induced by these drugs when compared with typical antipsychotic drugs. Moreover, our results uncover a new mechanism of action of D2 antagonists and support a prominent role of glutamate and adenosine in the effect of classic antipsychotic drugs.

Patients with MDD demonstrate impairments in various components of affective processing, which are believed to persist in the remitted phase of the illness and are believed to underlie the vulnerability for future relapse. Despite advances in neuropsychiatry, the neuroanatomical site of action of various treatment modalities remains unclear, leaving clinicians without an algorithm to guide optimal treatment selection for individual patients. This thesis sought to characterize differences in brain activation during affective processing between MDD treatment responders (RS) and non-responders (NR) by combining clinical and neuroimaging variables in a repeat-measure functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) investigation. We induced increases in positive and negative affect using visual stimuli under fMRI conditions in 21 MDD subjects and 18 healthy controls (HC). Based on previous neuroimaging investigations and preclinical animal data, we hypothesized that increased activation of the amygdala and the pregenual cingulate during negative affect induction (NAI), and decreased activity of the ventral striatum during positive affect induction (PAI), would differentiate ultimate NR from RS. Following the first scan, treatment with fluoxetine and olanzapine was initiated in the MDD group, with follow-up scans at one- and six-weeks thereafter. We hypothesized that decreases in depressive symptoms would be associated with decreased activation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (PFC) and amygdala during NAI and increased activation of the hippocampus during PAI. Eleven MDD subjects met criteria for clinical remission at study endpoint. Based on trait differences between MDD and HC, we hypothesized that differences observed during NAI would be limited to brain regions involved in regulation of the affective state, including the dorsolateral PFC and the anterior midcingulate cortex. The results of the analyses confirmed the a-prior hypotheses and additionally demonstrated differential activation of the insular, medial temporal, and premotor cortex during repeat PAI and NAI between HC, RS, and NR. These findings provide: i) a neuroanatomical target of successful antidepressant therapy during PAI/NAI; ii) a differential effect of depressive symptoms and dispositional affect on brain activation during PAI/NAI; and iii) an a-prior method to differentiate RS from NR, and iv) demonstrate the need for additional treatment to prevent relapse in the remitted state.

The dopamine D2 receptor exists in vitro in two states of agonist affinity: a high-affinity state mediating dopamine’s physiological effects, and a physiologically-inert low-affinity state. Our primary goal was to determine the in vivo relevance of this two-affinity-state model for the agonist PET radiotracer [11C]-(+)-PHNO, developed for measurement of the D2 high-affinity state. Our second goal was to characterize the regional D2 versus D3 pharmacology of [3H]-(+)-PHNO binding and assess its utility for measuring drug occupancy at both receptor subtypes. Using ex vivo dual-radiotracer experiments in conscious rats, we showed that, contrary to the two-affinity-state model, the binding of [11C]-(+)-PHNO and the antagonist [3H]-raclopride were indistinguishably inhibited by D2 partial agonist (aripiprazole), indirect agonist (amphetamine) and full agonist ((-)-NPA) pretreatment. Furthermore, ex vivo [11C]-(+)-PHNO binding was unaffected by treatments that increase in vitro high-affinity state density (chronic amphetamine, ethanol-withdrawal), whereas unilateral 6-OHDA lesion, which increases total D2 receptor expression, similarly increased the ex vivo binding of [11C]-(+)-PHNO and [3H]-raclopride. These results do not support the in vivo validity of the two-affinity-state model, suggesting instead a single receptor state for [11C]-(+)-PHNO and [3H]-raclopride in conscious rat. Importantly, we also demonstrated that the increased amphetamine-sensitivity of the agonist radiotracers [11C]-(+)-PHNO and [11C]-(-)-NPA, commonly seen in isoflurane-anaesthetized animals and cited as evidence for the two-affinity-state model, is due to the confounding effects of anaesthesia. Using in vitro and ex vivo autoradiography in rat and the D3 receptor-selective drug SB277011, we found that [3H]-(+)-PHNO binding in striatum and cerebellum lobes 9 and 10 was due exclusively to D2 and D3 receptor binding, respectively, but in other extra-striatal regions to a mix of the two receptor subtypes. Surprisingly, the D3 contribution to [3H]-(+)-PHNO binding was greater ex vivo than in vitro. Also surprising, several antipsychotic drugs, at doses producing 80% D2 occupancy, produced insignificant (olanzapine, risperidone, haloperidol) or small (clozapine, ~35%) D3 occupancy, despite similarly occupying both receptor subtypes in vitro. These data reveal a significant discrepancy between in vitro and ex vivo measures of dopamine receptor binding and suggest that the D3 occupancy is not necessary for the therapeutic effect of antispychotic drugs.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2005. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Considerando a necessidade de antipsicóticos mais seguros e eficazes, uma série de derivados N-fenilpiperazínicos funcionalizados e N-benziltiazolidínicos foi planejada e sintetizada pelo Laboratório de Avaliação e Síntese de Substâncias Bioativas (LASSBio-UFRJ) (LASSBio-1412, LASSBio-1413, LASSBio-1414, LASSBio-1415 e LASSBio-1422) e pelo Grupo de Pesquisa em Inovação Terapêutica (GPIT-UFPe) (FPY-1, FPY-2, FPY-3, FPY-5, FPY-6, FPT-1, FPT-2, FPT-4, FPW-1), respectivamente. Objetivos: selecionar os derivados com potencial atividade antipsicótica através do ensaio de climbing induzido por apomorfina, um modelo preditivo de sintomas positivos da esquizofrenia. Avaliar a ocorrência de efeitos motores e neurotoxicidade por catatonia e rota-rod. Avaliar possíveis efeitos adversos por locomoção e tempo de sono barbitúrico. Verificar o perfil de afinidade a receptores através de ensaios de binding. Métodos: para os ensaios de binding foram utilizados cérebros de ratos Wistar para os receptores D2-like, 5-HT1A e 5-HT2A e fígado de coelho e rato para os receptores α1A e α1B. Camundongos CF1 machos foram utilizados para os testes in vivo. As substâncias foram testadas no modelo de climbing induzido por apomorfina e apenas às substâncias capazes de inibir climbing foi dado continuidade ao estudo. Resultados: LASSBio-1412, LASSBio-1413, LASSBio-1422, FPT-2, FPT-4 e FPY-3 inibiram climbing, sem induzir sinais de catatonia, comprometimento motor, alteração do comportamento exploratório e efeito hipnótico-sedativo. Um estudo dose-resposta (0,5 - 30 mg/kg, v.o.) dessas substâncias indicou LASSBio-1412 como o composto mais potente in vivo. In vitro, observou-se que os derivados N-fenilpiperazínicos possuem uma moderada afinidade pelos receptores estudados, demonstrando um perfil de ligação multirreceptor; semelhante aos antipsicóticos atípicos. Por outro lado, os derivados N-benziltiazolidínicos possuem baixa afinidade por esses receptores, sugerindo um mecanismo de ação diferente. Conclusão: Essas moléculas podem representar protótipos promissores para o desenvolvimento de novos antipsicóticos. / Considering that more effective and safer drugs to treat schizophrenia are still needed a series of functionalized N-phenylpiperazines and N-benziltiazolidines derivatives were planned and synthesized by Avaliação e Síntese de Substâncias Bioativas Group (LASSBio/UFRJ): (LASSBio-1412, LASSBio-1413, LASSBio-1414, LASSBio-1415 and LASSBio-1422), and Núcleo de Pesquisa em Inovação Terapêutica Group/UFPE: (FPY-1, FPY-2, FPY-3, FPY-5, FPY-6, FPT-1, FPT-2, FPT-4, FPW-1), respectively. The aim of this study was to search the derivatives with potential antipsychotic activity through apomorphine-induced climbing test and binding receptor assaying as well as to evaluate their potential extrapyramidal sideeffects and neurotoxicity by catatonia and rota-rod tests. Adverse effects were also evaluated by open-field test and barbiturate sleeping time. Methods: Binding assays to D2-like, 5-HT1A, and 5-HT2A receptors were performed in brain rat regions and binding to α1A and α1B receptors were performed in rabbit and rat liver, respectively. All compounds were initially tested by mice apomorphine-induced climbing and only those able to inhibit climbing were selected to further studies. Results: LASSBio- 1412, LASSBio-1413, LASSBio-1422, FPT-2, FPT-4 and FPY-3 inhibited climbing without inducing catatonic behavior, general motor impairment, exploratory behavior alterations or hypnotic-sedative effect. A dose-responde study pointed LASSBio- 1412 as the most potent compound in vivo. In vitro, the N-fenilpiperazines derivatives demonstrated a moderate affinity to the studied receptors, demonstrating a multireceptor profile characteristic of atypical antipsychotics. In a different way, the Nbenziltizolidines derivatives have a low affinity to these receptors, suggesting that these compounds could be acting through a different action mechanism. Conclusion: These compounds are promising molecules to antipsychotics development.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-22T20:49:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-03-30 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O condicionamento entre os efeitos farmacológicos de drogas de abuso e os contextos ambientais nos quais tais efeitos são experienciados tem se mostrado um processo crítico para o desenvolvimento e especialmente a recaída da dependência química. Assim, a extinção desse condicionamento parece ser fundamental para o tratamento da dependência química. Paralelamente, nosso grupo de pesquisa tem demonstrado que os efeitos farmacológicos de neurolépticos (isto é, drogas bloqueadoras de receptores dopaminérgicos) também podem estar sujeitos ao condicionamento ambiental. Esse fato descortina a possibilidade de estratégias que aliem processos de extinção aos efeitos farmacológicos de neurolépticos para o tratamento da dependência química. Não obstante, o tratamento repetido com neurolépticos típicos é capaz de promover um aumento compensatório de receptores dopaminérgicos, que poderia intensificar os efeitos reforçadores das drogas de abuso. De importância, todavia, essa supersensibilidade dopaminérgica parece não ocorrer com neurolépticos de 2ª e 3ª geração, como, por exemplo, a ziprasidona e o aripiprazol. Esta tese teve como proposição a investigação da possível efetividade de estratégias que aliem a extinção ao tratamento com ziprasidona ou aripiprazol em um modelo animal de dependência química: a sensibilização comportamental. Como drogas de abuso foram utilizadas a cocaína e o etanol. Resumidamente, camundongos Swiss fêmeas foram tratados repetidamente com as respectivas drogas de abuso, com injeções pareadas ao ambiente de observação e, após o término do tratamento, a droga de abuso foi substituída pelo neuroléptico, administrado de forma pareada ou não ao ambiente. Após o término do tratamento com o neuroléptico, os animais receberam uma injeção desafio da droga de abuso para a quantificação da expressão da sensibilização da atividade locomotora. Nossos resultados mostraram que o tratamento repetido com ziprasidona atenuou a expressão da sensibilização comportamental à cocaína e ao etanol apenas quando a administração do neuroléptico foi realizada de forma pareada ao ambiente. Já o tratamento repetido com aripiprazol atenuou a expressão da sensibilização comportamental à cocaína também apenas quando realizado de forma pareada ao ambiente, mas atenuou a sensibilização ao etanol independentemente da exposição ao ambiente previamente associado ao efeito dessa droga de abuso. Os dados demonstram o potencial terapêutico da estratégia proposta na presente tese e revelam um importante papel do condicionamento ambiental para que essa estratégia atinja completa eficácia. / It has been shown that conditioning between the pharmacological effects of drugs of abuse and the environmental context in which these effects are experienced is a critical process for the development of addiction and especially for relapse. Thus, extinction of this conditioning appears to be critical in the search for an effective treatment of addiction. In parallel, our research group has demonstrated that the pharmacological effects of neuroleptics (i.e., dopamine antagonists) can also be conditioned to an environment. These facts raise the possibility of using new strategies allying extinction processes with the pharmacological effects of neuroleptics for the treatment of addiction. Notwithstanding, repeated treatment with typical neuroleptics may produce a compensatory up-regulation of dopamine receptors that could intensify the reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse. Importantly, this dopaminergic supersensitivity does not seem to develop after treatment with neuroleptics of 2nd and 3rd generations, such as ziprasidone and aripiprazole. This thesis aimed to investigate the possible efficacy of strategies allying extinction with treatment with ziprasidone or aripiprazole on an animal model of addiction: behavioral sensitization. Cocaine and ethanol were the drugs of abuse chosen for this study. Briefly, Swiss female mice were repeatedly treated with the drug of abuse, with injections paired to the test environment and, after this treatment was finished, the drug of abuse was replaced by one of the neuroleptics, which was administered in the test environment or in the home cage. When the neuroleptic treatment finished, the animals received a challenge injection of the drug of abuse to verify the expression of locomotor sensitization. Our results showed that repeated treatment with ziprasidone attenuated the expression of cocaine- and ethanol-induced behavioral sensitization only when neuroleptic administration occurred within the context previously paired with cocaine or ethanol treatment. On the other hand, aripiprazole treatment attenuated cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization only when it was paired with the environment previously associated with cocaine, but attenuated ethanol-induced behavioral sensitization irrespectively of the context in which the neuroleptic treatment occurred. These data demonstrate the therapeutic potential of the strategy proposed in this thesis and attribute an important role for the environmental conditioning to achieve complete efficacy in this strategy. / TEDE / BV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertações

Considerando a necessidade de antipsicóticos mais seguros e eficazes, uma série de derivados N-fenilpiperazínicos funcionalizados e N-benziltiazolidínicos foi planejada e sintetizada pelo Laboratório de Avaliação e Síntese de Substâncias Bioativas (LASSBio-UFRJ) (LASSBio-1412, LASSBio-1413, LASSBio-1414, LASSBio-1415 e LASSBio-1422) e pelo Grupo de Pesquisa em Inovação Terapêutica (GPIT-UFPe) (FPY-1, FPY-2, FPY-3, FPY-5, FPY-6, FPT-1, FPT-2, FPT-4, FPW-1), respectivamente. Objetivos: selecionar os derivados com potencial atividade antipsicótica através do ensaio de climbing induzido por apomorfina, um modelo preditivo de sintomas positivos da esquizofrenia. Avaliar a ocorrência de efeitos motores e neurotoxicidade por catatonia e rota-rod. Avaliar possíveis efeitos adversos por locomoção e tempo de sono barbitúrico. Verificar o perfil de afinidade a receptores através de ensaios de binding. Métodos: para os ensaios de binding foram utilizados cérebros de ratos Wistar para os receptores D2-like, 5-HT1A e 5-HT2A e fígado de coelho e rato para os receptores α1A e α1B. Camundongos CF1 machos foram utilizados para os testes in vivo. As substâncias foram testadas no modelo de climbing induzido por apomorfina e apenas às substâncias capazes de inibir climbing foi dado continuidade ao estudo. Resultados: LASSBio-1412, LASSBio-1413, LASSBio-1422, FPT-2, FPT-4 e FPY-3 inibiram climbing, sem induzir sinais de catatonia, comprometimento motor, alteração do comportamento exploratório e efeito hipnótico-sedativo. Um estudo dose-resposta (0,5 - 30 mg/kg, v.o.) dessas substâncias indicou LASSBio-1412 como o composto mais potente in vivo. In vitro, observou-se que os derivados N-fenilpiperazínicos possuem uma moderada afinidade pelos receptores estudados, demonstrando um perfil de ligação multirreceptor; semelhante aos antipsicóticos atípicos. Por outro lado, os derivados N-benziltiazolidínicos possuem baixa afinidade por esses receptores, sugerindo um mecanismo de ação diferente. Conclusão: Essas moléculas podem representar protótipos promissores para o desenvolvimento de novos antipsicóticos. / Considering that more effective and safer drugs to treat schizophrenia are still needed a series of functionalized N-phenylpiperazines and N-benziltiazolidines derivatives were planned and synthesized by Avaliação e Síntese de Substâncias Bioativas Group (LASSBio/UFRJ): (LASSBio-1412, LASSBio-1413, LASSBio-1414, LASSBio-1415 and LASSBio-1422), and Núcleo de Pesquisa em Inovação Terapêutica Group/UFPE: (FPY-1, FPY-2, FPY-3, FPY-5, FPY-6, FPT-1, FPT-2, FPT-4, FPW-1), respectively. The aim of this study was to search the derivatives with potential antipsychotic activity through apomorphine-induced climbing test and binding receptor assaying as well as to evaluate their potential extrapyramidal sideeffects and neurotoxicity by catatonia and rota-rod tests. Adverse effects were also evaluated by open-field test and barbiturate sleeping time. Methods: Binding assays to D2-like, 5-HT1A, and 5-HT2A receptors were performed in brain rat regions and binding to α1A and α1B receptors were performed in rabbit and rat liver, respectively. All compounds were initially tested by mice apomorphine-induced climbing and only those able to inhibit climbing were selected to further studies. Results: LASSBio- 1412, LASSBio-1413, LASSBio-1422, FPT-2, FPT-4 and FPY-3 inhibited climbing without inducing catatonic behavior, general motor impairment, exploratory behavior alterations or hypnotic-sedative effect. A dose-responde study pointed LASSBio- 1412 as the most potent compound in vivo. In vitro, the N-fenilpiperazines derivatives demonstrated a moderate affinity to the studied receptors, demonstrating a multireceptor profile characteristic of atypical antipsychotics. In a different way, the Nbenziltizolidines derivatives have a low affinity to these receptors, suggesting that these compounds could be acting through a different action mechanism. Conclusion: These compounds are promising molecules to antipsychotics development.