Stress and withdrawal from d-amphetamine alter 5-HT2A receptor mRNA expression in the prefrontal cortex

Psychostimulant withdrawal results in emotional, behavioral, and cognitive impairments, which may be exacerbated by stress. However, little is known about the neurochemical changes that occur when these two conditions are experienced concomitantly. 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR) mRNA expression in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is diminished following withdrawal from d-amphetamine (AMPH) and may underlie the emotional and cognitive impairments observed in psychostimulant withdrawal, but whether stress affects 5-HT2AR mRNA expression during psychostimulant withdrawal is unknown. The goal of this study was to examine the impact of forced swim test (FST) exposure during AMPH withdrawal on 5-HT2AR mRNA expression in PFC. Animals were treated 3 times a day for 4 days with escalating doses of AMPH (1-10 mg/kg) and 24 h or 4 days after the final injection, animals were subjected to FST. At 24 h of withdrawal, AMPH-treated animals showed greater immobility in FST and at 4 days of withdrawal, AMPH-treated animals did not show immobility. At 24 h of withdrawal, animals showed lower 5-HT2AR mRNA expression in the PFC relative to saline-treated animals, and exposure to FST did not further decrease expression in these animals. At 4 days of withdrawal, AMPH-treated animals showed greater 5-HT2AR mRNA expression relative to saline-treated animals in the PFC, an effect that was diminished by exposure to FST. These data indicate that stress and short-term AMPH withdrawal affect prefrontal 5-HT2AR mRNA expression to a similar degree, and stress experienced during long-term AMPH withdrawal can diminish the recovery of 5-HT2AR mRNA expression. Together, these data suggest that exposure to stress during extended AMPH withdrawal could prolong withdrawal-induced, 5-HT2AR mRNA expression which could be related to 5-HT2AR mediated deficits.