Mescaline elicits behavioral effects in cats by an action at both serotonin and dopamine receptors.

ABSTRACT

The characteristic behavioral effects of mescaline in cats were nearly completely blocked by pretreatment with low doses of either a specific serotonin antagonist (methysergide) or a dopamine specific antagonist (haloperidol). These blocking effects were not due to non-specific actions, since methysergide did not block the behavioral effects of apomorphine, and haloperidol did not block the behavioral effects of 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine. Thus, it appears that the behavioral effects of mescaline are dependent upon the simultaneous action of the drug at both serotonin and dopamine receptors.