Serotonin receptors are targets of drug therapies for a variety of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Cocaine inhibits the re-uptake of serotonin (5-HT), dopamine, and noradrenaline while caffeine blocks adenosine receptors and opens ryanodine receptors in the endoplasmic reticulum. We studied how 5-HT and adenosine affected spontaneous GABAergic transmission from thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN). We combined whole-cell patch clamp recordings of miniature inhibitory post-synaptic currents (mIPSCs) in ventrobasal (VB) thalamic neurons during local (puff) application of 5-HT in wild type (WT) or knockout mice lacking 5-HT2A receptors (5-HT2A −/−). Inhibition of mIPSCs frequency by low (10 μM) and high (100 μM) 5-HT concentrations was observed in VB neurons from 5-HT2A−/− mice. In WT mice, only 100 μM 5-HT significantly reduced mIPSCs frequency. In 5-HT2A−/− mice, NAN-190, a specific 5-HT1A antagonist, prevented the 100 μM 5-HT inhibition while blocking H-currents that prolonged inhibition during post-puff periods. The inhibitory effects of 100 μM 5-HT were enhanced in cocaine binge-treated 5-HT2A −/−. Caffeine binge treatment did not affect 5-HT-mediated inhibition. Our findings suggest that both 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors are present in presynaptic TRN terminals. Serotonergic-mediated inhibition of GABA release could underlie aberrant thalamocortical physiology described after repetitive consumption of cocaine.

Caffeine is the world’s most popular psychoactive drug and is also an active adulterant found in many drugs of abuse, including seized cocaine samples. Despite several studies which examine the effects of caffeine or cocaine administered as single agents, little data are available for these agents when given in combination. The purpose of the present study was to determine if combined intake of both psychostimulants can lead to maladaptive changes in striatal function. Mice were injected with a binge regimen (intermittent treatment for 13 days) of caffeine (3 × 5 mg/kg), cocaine (3 × 10 mg/kg), or combined administration. We found that chronic caffeine potentiated locomotion induced by cocaine and that both caffeine-treated groups showed sensitization. Striatal tissue was obtained 24 h and 7 days after last injection (withdrawal) for immunohistochemistry and mRNA expression. Our results show that combined intake of both psychostimulants can increase GFAP immunoreactivity in the striatum at both times post treatment. Gene expression analysis, targeted at dopamine, adenosine, and glutamate receptor subunit genes, revealed significant transcript down-regulation in the dorsal striatum of AMPA, NMDA, D1 and D2 receptor subunit mRNA expression in the group that received combined treatment, but not after individual administration. At withdrawal, we found increased D1 receptor mRNA expression along with increased A1, AMPA, NMDA, and metabotropic subunit expression. A2A mRNA showed decreased expression after both times in all experimental groups. Our study provides evidence that there are striatal alterations mediated by combined caffeine and cocaine administration, and highlights negative outcomes of chronic intake of both psychostimulants.