Caffeine tolerance: behavioral, electrophysiological and neurochemical evidence
The development of tolerance to the stimulatory action of caffeine upon mesencephalic reticular neurons and upon spontaneous locomotor activity was evaluated in rats after two weeks of chronic exposure to low doses of caffeine (5-10 mg/kg/day via their drinking water). These doses are achievable through dietary intake of caffeine-containing beverages in man. Concomitant measurement of (/sup 3/H)-CHA binding in the mesencephalic reticular formation was also carried out in order to explore the neurochemical basis of the development of tolerance. Caffeine, 2.5 mg/kg i.v., markedly increased the firing rate of reticular neurons in caffeine naive rats but failed to modify the neuronal activity in a group exposed chronically to low doses of caffeine. In addition, in spontaneous locomotor activity studies, the data show a distinct shift to the right of the caffeine dose-response curve in caffeine pretreated rats. These results clearly indicate that tolerance develops to the stimulatory action of caffeine upon the reticular formation at the single neuronal activity level as well as upon spontaneous locomotor activity. Furthermore, in chronically caffeine exposed rats, an increase in the number of binding sites for (/sup 3/H)-CHA was observed in reticular formation membranes without any change in receptor affinity. 28 references, 4 figures.
- Research Organization:
- General Foods Corp. Technical Center, Cranbury, NJ
- OSTI ID:
- 5405237
- Journal Information:
- Life Sci.; (United States), Journal Name: Life Sci.; (United States) Vol. 36:24; ISSN LIFSA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Effects of caffeine and L-phenylisopropyladenosine on locomotor activity of mice
The effects of gestational and chronic atrazine exposure on motor behaviors and striatal dopamine in male Sprague-Dawley rats
Related Subjects
560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ADENOSINE
ANALEPTICS
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
AZAARENES
BEHAVIOR
CAFFEINE
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
CHEMICAL ACTIVATION
CHEMICAL BONDS
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
DRUGS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
NERVES
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NUCLEOSIDES
NUCLEOTIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PURINES
RATS
RECEPTORS
RIBOSIDES
RODENTS
TOLERANCE
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES
XANTHINES