Action of mianserin and zimelidine on the norepinephrine receptor coupled adenylate cyclase system in brain: Subsensitivity without reduction in β-adrenergic receptor binding

The present experiments were undertaken to ascertain whether non-tricyclic, clinically effective, antidepressant drugs such as the tetracyclic mianserin and the serotonin uptake inhibitor, zimelidine, cause alterations of central noradrenergic receptor systems similar to those elicited by classical tricyclic antidepressants, MAO inhibitors and ECT. Like desipramine (DMI), mianserin and zimelidine caused, after chronic administration, a …