Chronic administration of the antidepressants phenelzine, desipramine, clomipramine, or maprotiline decreases binding to 5-hydroxytryptamine2A receptors without affecting benzodiazepine binding sites in rat brain

1. The effects of chronic administration of five antidepressant drugs on the benzodiazepine and 5-HT2A binding sites in the same rat brain were assessed. 2. Clomipramine, desipramine, maprotiline, fluoxetine, and phenelzine (all 10 mg/kg/day) were administered s.c. for 21 days by Alzet osmotic minipumps. 3. Results showed that none of the drugs changed the density or affinity of benzodiazepine binding sites, yet at the same dose all the drugs with the exception of fluoxetine decreased binding to 5-HT2A receptors in the same animals.