Pyramidal Neurons in Rat Prefrontal Cortex Projecting to Ventral Tegmental Area and Dorsal Raphe Nucleus Express 5-HT(2A) Receptors

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is involved in higher brain functions altered in schizophrenia. Classical antipsychotics modulate cortico-limbic circuits mainly through subcortical D2 receptor blockade, whereas second generation (atypical) antipsychotics preferentially target cortical 5-HT receptors. Anatomical and functional evidence supports a PFC-based control of the brainstem monoaminergic nuclei. Using a combination of retrograde tracing experiments and in situ hybridization we report that a substantial proportion of PFC pyramidal neurons projecting to the dorsal raphe (DR) and/or ventral tegmental area (VTA) express 5-HT(2A) receptors. Cholera-toxin B application into the DR and the VTA retrogradely labeled projection neurons in the medial PFC (mPFC) and in orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). In situ hybridization of 5-HT(2A) receptor mRNA in the same tissue sections labeled a large neuronal population in mPFC and OFC. The percentage of DR-projecting neurons expressing 5-HT(2A) receptor mRNA was ∼60% in mPFC and ∼75% in OFC (n = 3). Equivalent values for VTA-projecting neurons were ∼55% in both mPFC and ventral OFC. Thus, 5-HT(2A) receptor activation/blockade in PFC may have downstream effects on dopaminergic and serotonergic systems via direct descending pathways. Atypical antipsychotics may distally modulate monoaminergic cells through PFC 5-HT(2A) receptor blockade, presumably decreasing the activity of neurons receiving direct cortical inputs.