Central action of drugs acting on the cholinergic muscarinic receptor. II. Influence of ecothiopate administered into the lateral cerebral ventricle on behavior in rats.

Ecothiopate (Etp), 10 mug injected into the lateral cerebral ventricle (ivtr), diminished spontaneous motility and open-field performance, lowered body temperature, inhibited amphetamine-induced hypermotility and stereotypy, prolonged hexobarbital anesthesia and did not induce catalepsy. These behavioral symptoms were accompanied by lowered level of NA and elevated levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the brain. No change in levels of DA were noted. Smaller doses (0-1 and 1 mug) had virtually no influence on behavior of the animals. The dose of 1 mug caused a rise in levels of 5-HIAA in the brain, but had no influence on levels of NA, DA and 5-HT.