Interactions Between Corticotropin-Releasing Factor and the Serotonin 1A Receptor System on Acoustic Startle Amplitude and Prepulse Inhibition of the Startle Response in Two Rat Strains

Both the neuropeptide, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and the serotonin 1A (5-HT1A) receptor systems have been implicated in anxiety disorders and there is evidence that the two systems interact with each other to affect behavior. Both systems have individually been shown to affect prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response. PPI is a form of sensorimotor gating that is reduced in patients with anxiety disorders including post-traumatic stress and panic disorder. Here, we examined whether the two systems interact or counteract each other to affect acoustic startle amplitude, PPI and habituation of the startle response. In experiment 1, Brown Norway (BN) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were administered ether an intraperitoneal (IP) injection of saline or the 5-HT1A receptor agonist, 8-OH-DPAT 10 min prior to receiving an intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of either saline or CRF (0.3 µg). In a second experiment, rats were administered either an IP injection of saline or the 5-HT1A receptor antagonist, WAY 100,635 10 min prior to receiving an ICV infusion of saline or CRF. Thirty min after the ICV infusion, the startle response and PPI were assessed. As we have previously shown, the dose of CRF used in these experiments reduced PPI in BN rats and had no effect on PPI in WKY rats