Delayed functional disability in dystrophic chickens receiving chemotherapy

Abstract

Line 413 early-onset, genetically homozygous dystrophic chickens were given twice-daily intraperitoneal injections of the antiserotoninergic drug cinanserin, alone or in combination with methysergide. Other trials consisted of penicillamine treatment in combination with either methysergide or cyproheptadine. Chemotherapy significantly prolonged the righting ability of treated dystrophic chickens, as measured by a periodic standardized fliptest procedure. Plasma creatine kinase activities were not affected by any of the various drug treatments. However, the blood serotonin levels of the dystrophic chickens (grand mean 1.47 μg serotonin/ml blood) were found to be significantly higher (p<0.001) than those in the corresponding normal chickens (0.99 μg/ml). This finding may partially account for the antiserotoninergic drug enhancement in righting ability that was demonstrated in the drug-treated dystrophic chickens.