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Aghajanian GK, Foote WE, Sheard MH. 
“Action of psychotogenic drugs on single midbrain raphe neurons”. 
J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.. 1970;171:178-187.
Abstract
Aghajanian, G.K., W.E. Foote and M.H. Sheard: Actions of psychotogenic drugs on single midbrain raphe neurons. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 171:178-187, 1970. Because of the previous observation that D-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) inhibits raphe neurons, the possible effects on raphe units of other psychotogenic drugs was investigated. In addition to LSD, the following drugs were tested: 1) 2-brom-LSD; 2) N,N-dimethyltryptamine; 3) mescaline; 4) 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine; 5) scopolamine and atropine; 6) phencyclidine; and 7) various non-psychotogens (e.g. chlorpromazine). There were marked differences in the way the various psychotogenic drugs affected the activity of raphe units. These effects differed according to the structural class of the compounds administered as follows. 1) The drugs containing a N-methylated indolethylamine moiety (i.e., LSD, 2-brom-LSD and N,N-dimethyltryptamine) inhibited all raphe units, although 2-brom-LSD was usually not capable of producing total inhibition. 2) The derivatives of phenethylamine or alpha-methylphenethylamine (i.e., mescaline and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine) inhibited only those units located in the ventral portion of the dorsal raphe. 3) Atropine, scopolamine, and phencyclidine had no effect on raphe unit activity. None of the nonpsychotogenic compounds tested inhibited raphe activity. These results indicate that the indole and phenethylamine psychotogens, which have similar effects on behavior, also have an overlapping although not identical effect on single units in the raphe nuclei. On the other hand, the psychotogenic drugs which differ from the indole and phenethylamine compounds both in chemical structure and behavioral effects do not affect raphe units.
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