Serotonergic–Muscarinic Interaction within the Prefrontal Cortex as a Novel Target to Reverse Schizophrenia-Related Cognitive Symptoms

Recent studies revealed that the activation of serotonergic 5-HT(1A) and muscarinic M(1), M(4), or M(5) receptors prevent MK-801-induced cognitive impairments in animal models. In the present study, the effectiveness of the simultaneous activation of 5-HT(1A) and muscarinic receptors at preventing MK-801-induced cognitive deficits in novel object recognition (NOR) or Y-maze tests was investigated. Activators of 5-HT(1A) (F15599), M(1) (VU0357017), M(4) (VU0152100), or M(5) (VU0238429) receptors administered at top doses for seven days reversed MK-801-induced deficits in the NOR test, similar to the simultaneous administration of subeffective doses of F15599 (0.05 mg/kg) with VU0357017 (0.15 mg/kg), VU0152100 (0.05 mg/kg), or VU0238429 (1 mg/kg). The compounds did not prevent the MK-801-induced impairment when administered acutely. Their activity was less evident in the Y-maze. Pharmacokinetic studies revealed high brain penetration of F15599 (brain/plasma ratio 620%), which was detected in the frontal cortex (FC) up to 2 h after administration. Decreases in the brain penetration properties of the compounds were observed after acute administration of the combinations, which might have influenced behavioral responses. This negative effect on brain penetration was not observed when the compounds were administered repeatedly. Based on our results, prolonged administration of a 5-HT(1A) activator with muscarinic receptor ligands may be effective at reversing cognitive decline related to schizophrenia, and the FC may play a critical role in this interaction.