Involvement of adenosinergic receptors in anxiety related behaviours

In the present study, the effect of adenosine (A1 and A2 receptor agonist), caffeine (A2A receptor antagonist), theophylline (A2A receptor antagonist) and their combination was studied in anxiety related behaviours using elevated zero maze and elevated plus maze paradigms and compared their various behavioural profiles. Adenosine (10, 25, 50,100 mg/kg) significantly showed anxiolytic effect at all the doses, whereas caffeine (8, 15, 30, 60 mg/kg) and theophylline (30, 60 mg/kg) showed psychostimulatory action at lower doses and anxiogenic effect at higher doses. Pretreatment with caffeine (8, 15, 30 mg/kg) and theophylline (30 mg/kg) reversed the anxiolytic effect of adenosine. The study suggested the involvement of adenosinergic receptor system in anxiety related behaviours.