Effects of clozapine metabolites and chronic clozapine treatment on rat brain GABAA receptors

Abstract Similarly to clozapine, a clozapine metabolite, N -desmethylclozapine, but not clozapine N -oxide, antagonized brain γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA A ) receptors at high micromolar concentrations. However, daily subcutaneous injections of clozapine (10 and 25 mg/kg) and haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg) for 14 days failed to alter the modulation by GABA of rat cerebrocortical and cerebellar benzodiazepine ([ 3 H]flunitrazepam) or convulsant ( t -[ 35 S]bicyclophosphorothionate) binding sites of the GABA A receptor. The results thus suggest that the GABA A receptor antagonism exerted by chronic in vivo clozapine treatment is weak as compared to this treatment's actions on certain monoamine …