Failure of muscarinic blockade to antagonize analepsis induced by thyrotropin-releasing hormone and MK-771 in the rat.

In the rat, the antimuscarinics atropine and scopolamine failed to block the reduction in pentobarbital-induced sleep time produced by either thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) or MK-771 (a TRH analog). Previous reports have indicated that the marked analeptic effect produced by TRH is antagonized by such agents. It is not clear at this time whether the difference between our findings and these previous studies indicates a reduced sensitivity of cholinergic receptors in the rat to muscarinic blockade, a different neurochemical mechanism of action of TRH in the rat, or other unknown factors.