Effect of sertraline treatment on benzodiazepine receptors in the rat brain.

In this paper we describe the modification of benzodiazepine (BDZ) binding sites in the rat brain after different times of treatment with the 5-hydroxytryptamine-(5HT) uptake blocker sertraline. We investigated the effect of 8, 15 and 30 days sertraline treatment (10 mg/kg/day, i.p.) on 3 H-flunitrazepam binding sites. In order to describe the anatomical site of action of the drug, the experiment has been carried out by means of quantitative receptor autoradiography. After 8 days of sertraline treatment, an increase of BDZ receptor density is found in the olfactory tubercle. This effect is reversed at 15 and 30 days. At 15 days of treatment, an increase is found in the anterior cingulate co…