Skip to main content
British Journal of Pharmacology logoLink to British Journal of Pharmacology
. 1970 Dec;40(4):659–667. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1970.tb10645.x

The effect of parachlorophenylalanine on the behaviour of cats

Valerie J Hoyland, Elizabeth E Shillito, Marthe Vogt
PMCID: PMC1702927  PMID: 5312896

Abstract

1. Male and female kittens and adult cats were given p-chlorophenylalanine orally.

2. After treatment, some of the male cats showed mounting behaviour and the kittens and non-oestrous females showed an increase in treading and rubbing which was similar to one aspect of pro-oestrus behaviour.

3. The treated animals also appeared to suffer from skin irritation and showed increased restlessness which accompanied sleep deprivation.

4. Injection of 5-hydroxytryptophan stopped abnormal sexual activity and restored normal sleep for about 5 hours.

5. It is concluded that 5-hydroxytryptamine-containing neurones inhibit sexual behaviour in cats and that this role can be seen in male and, to some extent, also in female animals.

Full text

PDF
659

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Ahtee L., Sharman D. F., Vogt M. Acid metabolites of monoamines in avian brain; effects of probenecid and reserpine. Br J Pharmacol. 1970 Jan;38(1):72–85. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1970.tb10337.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Airaksinen M. M., McIsaac W. M. Estrus cycle in rats: the role of serotonin and norepinephrine. Life Sci. 1968 May 1;7(9):471–476. doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(68)90049-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Delorme F., Froment J. L., Jouvet M. Suppression du sommeil par la p. chlorométhamphétamine et la p. chlorophénylalanine. C R Seances Soc Biol Fil. 1966;160(12):2347–2351. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Dement W. C. Recent studies on the biological role of rapid eye movement sleep. Am J Psychiatry. 1965 Oct;122(4):404–408. doi: 10.1176/ajp.122.4.404. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Ferguson J., Henriksen S., Cohen H., Mitchell G., Barchas J., Dement W. "Hypersexuality" and behavioral changes in cats caused by administration of p-chlorophenylalanine. Science. 1970 Apr 24;168(3930):499–501. doi: 10.1126/science.168.3930.499. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Koe B. K., Weissman A. p-Chlorophenylalanine: a specific depletor of brain serotonin. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1966 Dec;154(3):499–516. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Koella W. P., Feldstein A., Czicman J. S. The effect of para-chlorophenylalanine on the sleep of cats. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol. 1968 Nov;25(5):481–490. doi: 10.1016/0013-4694(68)90158-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Meyerson B. J. Amphetamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine inhibition of copulatory behaviour in the female rat. Ann Med Exp Biol Fenn. 1968;46(3):394–398. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Sheard M. H. The effect of p-chlorophenylalanine on behavior in rats: relation to brain serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. Brain Res. 1969 Oct;15(2):524–528. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(69)90175-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Shillito E. E. The effect of p-chlorophenylalanine on social interactions of male rats. Br J Pharmacol. 1969 May;36(1):193P–194P. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Shillito E. E. The effect of parachlorophenylalanine on social interaction of male rats. Br J Pharmacol. 1970 Feb;38(2):305–315. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1970.tb08518.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Tagliamonte A., Tagliamonte P., Gessa G. L., Brodie B. B. Compulsive sexual activity induced by p-chlorophenylalanine in normal and pinealectomized male rats. Science. 1969 Dec 12;166(3911):1433–1435. doi: 10.1126/science.166.3911.1433. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Tenen S. S. Antagonism of the analgesic effect of morphine and other drugs by p-chlorophenylalanine, a serotonin depletor. Psychopharmacologia. 1968;12(4):278–285. doi: 10.1007/BF00401407. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Tenen S. S. The effects of p-chlorophenylalanine, a serotonin depletor, on avoidance acquisition, pain sensitivity and related behavior in the rat. Psychopharmacologia. 1967;10(3):204–219. doi: 10.1007/BF00401382. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Pharmacology are provided here courtesy of The British Pharmacological Society

RESOURCES