Evidence for the absence of impulse-regulating somatodendritic and synthesis-modulating nerve terminal autoreceptors on subpopulations of mesocortical dopamine neurons

Differential effects of tight and loose 2-hour restraint stress on extracellular concentrations of dopamine in nucleus accumbens and anteromedial frontal cortex

Changes in the extracellular dopamine (DA) concentrations were examined in the nucleus accumbens (NAS) and anteromedial frontal cortex (AMFCx) during either 2-hr loose or tight restraint stress by means of a microdialysis method. Loose restraint induced significant 100% and 30% increases in DA release in the AMFCx and NAS, respectively, and the increased DA levels returned to the control values despite continued stress. Tight restraint induced an almost constant 100-130% increase during stressing in the AMFCx and a 30% reduction in the NAS. Transient increases in DA release were observed in both regions soon after the cessation of loose, but not tight, restraint.

Neurotransmitter regulation of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area

Over the last 10 years there has been important progress towards understanding how neurotransmitters regulate dopaminergic output. Reasonable estimates can be made of the synaptic arrangement of afferents to dopamine and non-dopamine cells in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). These models are derived from correlative findings using a variety of techniques. In addition to improved lesioning and pathway-tracing techniques, the capacity to measure mRNA in situ allows the localization of transmitters and receptors to neurons and/or axon terminals in the VTA. The application of intracellular electrophysiology to VTA tissue slices has permitted great strides towards understanding the influence of transmitters on dopamine cell function, as well as towards elucidating relative synaptic organization. Finally, the advent of in vivo dialysis has verified the effects of transmitters on dopamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid transmission in the VTA. Although reasonable estimates can be made of a single transmitter's actions under largely pharmacological conditions, our knowledge of how transmitters work in concert in the VTA to regulate the functional state of dopamine cells is only just emerging. The fact that individual transmitters can have seemingly opposite effects on dopaminergic function demonstrates that the actions of neurotransmitters in the VTA are, to some extent, state-dependent. Thus, different transmitters perform similar functions or the same transmitter may perform opposing functions when environmental circumstances are altered. Understanding the dynamic range of a transmitter's action and how this couples in concert with other transmitters to modulate dopamine neurons in the VTA is essential to defining the role of dopamine cells in the etiology and maintenance of neuropsychiatric disorders. Further, it will permit a more rational exploration of drugs possessing utility in treating disorders involving dopamine transmission.

gamma-Butyrolactone-sensitive and -insensitive dopamine release, and their relationship to dopamine metabolism in three rat brain regions

Some data suggest dopamine (DA) release from neuronal terminals is partially independent of impulse flow. We examined the changes in tissue DA and its major metabolite levels 30 and 90 min after treatment with y-butyrolactone (750 mg/kg). Accumulation of 3-methoxytyramine within 10 min of pargyline injection (75 mg/kg) was used as an index of DA release. Thirty minutes after gamma-butyrolactone injection, DA content was increased maximally in the frontal cortex, nucleus accumbens and striatum (by 91%, 80% and 73%, respectively). 3-Methoxytyramine rates of accumulation were reduced by 77%, 77%, and 92%, respectively. Ninety minutes after the treatment, DA levels remained high in all three areas, while DA release was persistently low in the striatum and nucleus accumbens, but had returned to baseline in the frontal cortex. Changes in 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-acetic acid and homovanillic acid levels were not synchronized with changes in DA release in the striatum and nucleus accumbens, and were absent in the frontal cortex. The data suggest that an impulse flow-independent mechanism contributes to approximately one tenth and one fourth of the basal DA release in the terminals of DA neurons originating in the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area, respectively. The acidic DA metabolite levels become at best poorly associated with DA release during blockade of the DA neuronal firing, probably because of the increased in situ metabolism of newly synthesized DA.

Effect of amygdaloid kindling on [3H]dopamine and [14C]acetylcholine release from rat prefrontal cortex and striatal slices

The involvement of the dopaminergic (DA) systems in the control of limbic kindled seizures is ill defined. The effects of kindling on DA activity may have been overlooked in the past, because of its subtle unilateral occurrence and/or the variance of the endogenous imbalance of DA activity in normal animals. In the present study rats were screened for their endogenous DA imbalance using amphetamine-induced rotational behaviour. Electrical or sham kindling was applied in the hemisphere with the higher endogenous DA activity. Sections of the bilateral prefrontal cortex and dorsal and ventral striatum were dissected either 2 hours or 21 days after the final seizure and the electrically stimulated release of [3H]DA and [14C]acetylcholine (ACh) determined. Release was also measured in the presence of quinpirole or sulpiride to assess the activity of pre- and postsynaptic DA D2-receptors. Long-term effects of kindling consisted of facilitation of ACh release in the ventral striatum contralateral to the kindled amygdala and bilateral depression of DA release in the prefrontal cortex. Kindling therefore produced area specific changes in neurotransmitter systems giving rise to increased pro-convulsive cholinergic activity in the ventral striatum and decreased anti-convulsive dopaminergic activity in the prefrontal cortex.

Electrophysiological effects of MK-801 on rat nigrostriatal and mesoaccumbal dopaminergic neurons

The electrophysiological effects of the non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist (+)-MK-801 (MK-801) on nigrostriatal and mesoaccumbal dopaminergic (DA) neurons were evaluated in chloral hydrate-anesthetized rats. MK-801 (0.05-3.2 mg/kg, i.v.) stimulated the firing rates of 14 (74%) of 19 nigrostriatal DA (NSDA) neurons and all 16 mesoaccumbal DA (MADA) neurons tested. Stimulatory effects of the drug were more prominent on MADA neurons. Interspike interval analysis revealed that MK-801 also regularized DA neuronal firing pattern. Acute brain hemitransection between the midbrain and forebrain attenuated the stimulatory effects of MK-801 on firing rate and blocked the effects on firing pattern. Similar to MK-801, hemitransection itself increased NSDA and MADA cell firing rates and regularized firing pattern. Both i.v. and iontophoretic MK-801 blocked the excitatory effects of iontophoretic NMDA but did not affect excitations caused by the non-NMDA glutamatergic receptor agonists quisqualate and kainate. Iontophoretic MK-801 had no effect alone. These results suggest that the excitatory effects of i.v. MK-801 on DA neuronal activity are not due to direct actions on DA neurons. Glutamatergic projections originating anterior to the hemitransection appear to play a role in the effects of MK-801 on DA neuronal activity.

Acute effects of sigma ligands on the electrophysiological activity of rat nigrostriatal and mesoaccumbal dopaminergic neurons

The effects of acute i.v. administration of several sigma ligands on the single-unit activity of nigrostriatal and mesoaccumbal dopaminergic (DA) neurons were evaluated in chloral hydrate-anesthetized rats. DTG (1,3-di(o-tolyl)guanidine) did not alter DA neuronal activity at nontoxic doses and JO 1784 [(+)-N-cyclopropylmethyl-N-methyl-1,4-diphenyl-1-ethylbut-3-en-1-+ ++ylamine] was inactive. (+)-Pentazocine was more effective in increasing mesoaccumbal vs. nigrostriatal DA cell firing rates. BMY 14802(alpha-(4-fluorophenyl)-4-(5-fluoro-2-pyrimidinyl)-1-piperazine-but anol) dose-dependently increased DA cell firing rate in both populations. The inhibition of nigrostriatal DA cell firing rate by (+)-3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-N-(1-propyl)piperidine [(+)-3-PPP] was reversed by (-)-eticlopride and (+)-but not (-)-butaclamol, which supports previous evidence that (+)-3-PPP-induced inhibition is due to the DA agonist properties of the drug. From what is known of the pharmacological properties of these compounds, it is concluded that acute sigma receptor occupation does not markedly alter the firing rate of DA neurons. The dose-response curve for inhibition of nigrostriatal DA neuronal activity by the D2 DA agonist, quinpirole, was shifted to the right tenfold by BMY 14802 pretreatment (8 mg/kg, i.v.) and twofold by (+)-pentazocine (8 mg/kg, i.v.), but was not changed by DTG (2 mg/kg, i.v.). It is concluded that the marked effects of certain sigma ligands on DA cell electrophysiology are likely due to their non-sigma properties.

Immunohistochemical markers in rat brain: colocalization of calretinin and calbindin-D28k with tyrosine hydroxylase

Many dopaminergic cells of the substantia nigra are known to contain the calcium-binding proteins calretinin and calbindin-D28k. Catecholaminergic cell groups throughout the rat brain were therefore examined by two-colour immunofluorescence to determine whether they too contained these calcium-binding proteins as well as tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Some TH+ cell groups are mostly positive for both calretinin and calbindin, notably in the ventral tegmental area, the interfascicular nucleus, and parts of the substantia nigra. Other TH+ cell groups in the midbrain, hindbrain and hypothalamus are very diverse; different cell groups are positive for calretinin, or calbindin, or both, or neither. In the olfactory bulb, entirely separate sets of periglomerular cells are positive for TH, calretinin and calbindin. However, there is considerable heterogeneity in calcium-binding protein expression within most cell groups, even in the substantia nigra. This could be a sign that calcium-binding proteins are regulated according to aspects of neuronal activity.

Inhibition of nigral dopamine neurons by systemic and local apomorphine: Possible contribution of dendritic autoreceptors

Peripheral administration of low doses of dopamine agonist apomorphine induces a strong and short-latency inhibition of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra, presumably via the activation of somatodendritic autoreceptors. We studied the site of action of apomorphine in anesthetized rats using volume-controlled pressure microejection combined with single unit recordings. Microapplication of apomorphine in the immediate vicinity of nigral dopamine neurons did not mimic the effect of intravenous administration of apomorphine (50 micrograms/kg), regardless of the concentration or volume used (10(-10)-10(-2) M, 10-100 nl). In contrast, the inhibition produced by systemic apomorphine was mimicked by drug application at a site 300 microns lateral and 600 microns ventral from the recording site in the zona reticulata of the substantia nigra, a region rich in dendrites of dopamine neurons. The inhibition induced by such a distant application of apomorphine could be reversed by systemic injection of D2, but not D1, receptor antagonists. Non-dopaminergic substances such as GABA, bicuculline or lidocaine were more effective when ejected close to rather than distant from the recording site, in a manner opposite to that of apomorphine. Similar to apomorphine, dopamine and D2 receptor agonists were more potent when intranigral applications were made at sites distant from, rather than close to, the recorded dopamine cells. Ejection of D2 antagonists in the substantia nigra zona reticulata attenuated the inhibitory effect of subsequent systemic apomorphine. Our results, together with other previous studies on the location of D2 receptors on dopamine neurons, suggest that peripheral administration of low doses of apomorphine inhibits nigral dopamine neurons by acting at D2 receptors located on the dendrites of these neurons.

High-speed chronoamperometric measurements of mesolimbic and nigrostriatal dopamine release associated with repeated daily stress

The effects of repeated, once daily exposure to either restraint or tail pinch stress on extracellular levels of dopamine in nucleus accumbens and striatum were electrochemically monitored in conscious rats using high-speed chronoamperometry. Acutely, both tail pinch and restraint increased extracellular dopamine levels in both regions. However, the effect of restraint on mesolimbic and, to some extent, also on nigrostriatal dopamine neurotransmission increased progressively with each daily exposure. While increases in extracellular dopamine elicited by tail pinch varied across test days, no reliable daily enhancement of electrochemical responses to this stress were observed in either of the regions studied. Pretreatment with dopamine autoreceptor-specific doses of apomorphine (50 and 100 micrograms/kg s.c.) potently inhibited stress-elicited responses in nucleus accumbens, indicating that dopamine was the primary electroactive species contributing to the electrochemical signal. The results of this study indicate that the magnitude of stress-elicited increases in levels of extracellular dopamine is determined by the number of previous exposures to stress and are consistent with reports of sensitization to the behavioral effects of stress with repeated testing. The study also provides pharmacological data that are consistent with electrophysiological evidence of increased mesolimbic dopamine cell firing during exposure to stress.

Oscillation of interspike interval length in substantia nigra dopamine neurons: effects of nicotine and the dopaminergic D2 agonist LY 163502 on electrophysiological activity

The rates and patterns of discharge activity exhibited by 16 spontaneously active substantia nigra pars compacta dopamine neurons were studied in halothane-anesthetized rats using three types of quantitative measures: 1) mean discharge rates, 2) population characteristics of interspike interval samples, and 3) interspike interval time-series measures which were used to examine patterns in the ordering of interspike intervals. The mean discharge rate of these 16 cells was 2.9 +/- 0.3 spikes/sec, and each cell was classified as bursting (25% of the cells) or non-bursting (75%). The distribution of interspike intervals of non-bursting neurons were more normally distributed. Time-series analyses (raw time-series plots, return maps, and phase portraits) revealed a substantial oscillatory tendency in the magnitudes of consecutive interspike intervals in these neurons under baseline conditions: Successive interspike intervals tended to alternate between short and long durations, although short bursts often occurred. Under baseline conditions, these cells exhibited both multispike bursts and consecutive long intervals less frequently than would have been predicted by chance ordering of the interspike intervals. These results imply that there are mechanisms acting to reduce the probability of these types of events. Locally infused nicotine enhanced discharge rates in these neurons. Burst firing increased in four neurons, while five neurons did not show any change in burst firing. LY 163502 induced significant decreases in both discharge rate and bursting activity in all cells tested. The variation coefficient, skew, and kurtosis of the interspike interval distributions were not consistently altered by either drug. The local infusion of either nicotine or LY 163502 decreased the oscillatory phenomenon seen in the baseline condition. Neither the nicotine or LY 163502 time-series data exhibited a larger proportion of long-short and short-long pairs (relative to the median interval) than would be expected by chance. It is hypothesized that these neurons have intrinsic mechanisms, made manifest under anesthesia, which induce oscillations in interspike interval length. The oscillatory effect of these mechanisms can be overridden by tonic increases in either excitatory or inhibitory tone.

Regional differences in the regulation of dopamine and noradrenaline release in medial frontal cortex, nucleus accumbens and caudate-putamen: a microdialysis study in the rat

Dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NA) extracellular levels have been measured by microdialysis in the medial frontal cortex (MFC), nucleus accumbens (NAc) and caudate-putamen (CP) under baseline conditions in awake and halothane-anaesthetized rats, and after application of three types of stimuli which are likely to activate the brainstem catecholaminergic systems: mild stressors (handling and tail pinch), rewarded behavior (eating palatable food without prior food deprivation) and electrical stimulation of the lateral habenular nucleus. Changes were studied with and without uptake blockade (10 microM nomifensine in the perfusion fluid). The influence of calcium concentration (1.2 or 2.3 mM in the perfusion fluid) on DA and NA overflow was tested in some cases. Handling and tail pinch stimulated both DA and NA overflow in MFC, and enhanced NA overflow in NAc. By contrast, these mildly stressful stimuli had only marginal effects on DA overflow in NAc and no effects on either DA or NA overflow in CP. Eating behavior was accompanied by increased DA and NA overflow in MFC but had no effect in NAc. These regional differences were similar also when the manipulations were applied under uptake blockade, which indicates that the more pronounced changes seen in MFC did not simply reflect a more sparse innervation (i.e. lower density of uptake sites) in the MFC compared to the more densely innervated NAc and CP areas. Stimulation of the lateral habenula induced a 2-3-fold increase in NA overflow in both MFC, NAc and CP but had no consistent effect on DA overflow in any region. The effect on NA release was abolished by a transection of the ipsilateral fasciculus retroflexus (which carries the efferent output of the lateral habenula). The results show that the forebrain DA and NA projections to cortical and striatal targets are differentially regulated during ongoing behavior, that the mesocortical and mesostriatal DA systems respond quite differently to stressful and rewarding stimuli; and that the NA projection to MFC (like the dopaminergic one) is more responsive to stressful and rewarding stimuli than the ones innervating the striatum (NAc and CP). The results support the view that environmental stimuli evoking emotional arousal (whether aversive or non-aversive) are accompanied by increased DA and NA release above all in the MFC and only to a minor extent in limbic and striatal areas.

Neuron-specific enolase reflects metabolic activity in mesencephalic neurons of the rat

Numerous studies on the local rate of energy metabolism of various brain regions during development and following experimental manipulation have been conducted using 2-deoxyglucose uptake and cytochrome oxidase (CO) histochemistry, both considered to be reliable indicators of long-term and short-term alterations in neuronal activity, respectively. Another method which has been related to neuronal activity is neuron-specific enolase (NSE) immunohistochemistry. An isoenzyme of enolase, a key element in the glycolytic pathway, NSE is present in neurons and neural-related cells e.g. neuroendocrine cells, pituicytes, and many tumor cells, but not in glia. The distribution on adjacent tissue sections of immunoreactive NSE and histochemically determined CO were mapped in the rat mesencephalon and adrenal medulla. Both methods showed highly restricted localization of staining which coincided with few exceptions in the most reactive areas, namely the superior colliculus, medial and lateral geniculate nuclei, red nucleus, lateral mammillary nucleus, interpeduncular nucleus and substantia nigra pars lateralis and pars reticulata. Immunoreactivity of varying intensity for NSE was also observed in perikarya and in processes of numerous scattered neurons throughout the mesencephalon, including the substantia nigra pars compacta, and reticular formation. The general correspondence in staining patterns between CO and NSE in the midbrain, supports the utility of NSE as a useful index of metabolic activity in neurons.

Dopamine release and metabolism in the rat frontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and striatum: a comparison of acute clozapine and haloperidol

1. The effects of the typical and typical neuroleptic agents clozapine (CLZ) (2.5-20 mg kg-1, i.p.) and haloperidol (Hal) (0.05-1.0 mg kg-1), were compared on dopamine release and metabolism in the rat prefrontal cortex (PFC), nucleus accumbens (ACC) and striatum (ST). Dopamine release was estimated by measuring the steady-state concentration of 3-methoxytyramine (3-MT) and the level of 3-MT 10 min after pargyline (3-MT accumulation); dopamine metabolism was evaluated from the steady-state concentrations of its acidic metabolites. 2. Both drugs increased 3-MT accumulation in the PFC in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast to Hal, CLZ failed to increase 3-MT accumulation in the ACC or ST. The ST was the region most sensitive to Hal in terms of 3-MT accumulation and, by inference, dopamine release. 3. Both CLZ and Hal dose-dependently elevated the concentrations of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) in all 3 brain regions studied. The ACC appears to be the region most sensitive to these drugs in terms of changes in the levels of HVA. 4. The result of the present investigations suggest measurements of 3-MT production in the 3 brain regions analysed might be a useful and simple pharmacological tool in the search for atypical neuroleptic drugs with a selectivity of action for the cortical systems.

Pertussis Toxin in the A10 Region Increases Dopamine Synthesis and Metabolism

Inhibitory regulation of dopamine neurons is mediated by dopamine autoreceptor and gamma-aminobutyric acidB receptor opening of potassium channels. Increased potassium conductance by either receptor is G protein dependent. To evaluate the role of G proteins in vivo, pertussis toxin (PTX) was microinjected into the A10 dopamine region and changes in dopamine metabolism and synthesis measured. PTX produced an elevation in dopamine metabolism and synthesis in the A10 region and nucleus accumbens for up to 4 days after injection. By day 7 the levels of the dopamine precursor and metabolites had returned to normal. A less consistent increase was also measured in the A9 dopamine region and the prefrontal cortex. Although dopamine synthesis and metabolism had returned to normal by day 7, the in vitro ADP-ribosylation of G proteins in the A10 region by PTX remained depressed by approximately 50% from day 1 to day 14 after administration, returning to normal by day 30. The data suggest that in vivo ribosylation of G proteins may lead to a short-term attenuation of the tonic inhibitory control of dopamine neurons, which can be compensated for by PTX-insensitive mechanisms.

Amphetamine-induced and spontaneous release of dopamine from A9 and A10 cell dendrites: an in vitro electrophysiological study in the mouse

d-Amphetamine (d-AMP) is a potent releaser of dopamine (DA), and its central nervous system stimulant action is mediated primarily through its effect on the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area dopaminergic neurons (nuclei A9 and A10, respectively). The purpose of the present experiment was to use electrophysiological techniques to examine dendritic release of DA in the in vitro slice preparation, and determine whether: (1) d-AMP inhibits the firing rates of both A9 and A10 cells; (2) the d-AMP-induced inhibition is mediated via the dendritic release of DA; and (3) there is spontaneous dendritic release of DA. Superfusion with d-AMP (2-100 microM) produced identical inhibitory dose-response curves for A9 and A10 cells, and a dose of 6.25 microM caused more than 50% inhibition in the cell firing rates. The d-AMP-induced inhibition was attenuated by blocking DA synthesis. Either D2 receptor blockade (sulpiride, 1 microM), or DA synthesis inhibition (alpha-methylparatyrosine, 50 microM) resulted in a marked increase in the firing rates of dopaminergic cells. These data suggest that d-AMP comparably releases DA from both A9 and A10 cell dendrites, that it releases newly-synthesized DA to inhibit cell firing, and that DA is tonically released to regulate cell firing rates via interactions with inhibitory D2 autoreceptors.

Midbrain dopamine system electrophysiological functioning: a review and new hypothesis

The pathogenesis of a variety of neurological and mental disorders has been attributed to the malfunctioning of central dopaminergic systems. Twenty years of investigation concerning the way that dopamine systems function in the brain has yielded a great deal of information about the control and behavior of these systems. This collection of seemingly disparate facts is reviewed. A hypothesis is then presented that attempts to synthesize from these facts a view of the electrophysiological functioning of midbrain dopamine systems that may be helpful in understanding brain mechanisms underlying the pathology of such disorders as Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia.

Partial dopamine depletions result in an enhanced sensitivity of residual dopamine neurons to apomorphine

Extracellular recordings from identified dopamine neurons were used to assess the effect of 6-hydroxydopamine-induced partial lesions of the nigrostriatal dopamine system on the sensitivity of the residual dopamine neurons to the dopamine agonist apomorphine. This was done by testing the response of identified nigral dopamine neurons in control and lesioned rats to systemic apomorphine administration at two time points: 1) 6-10 days post-lesion, when the loss of dopamine cells is nearly complete, and 2) 4-8 weeks post-lesion, which should be sufficient time for changes in dopamine receptor density to occur. As reported previously, dopamine neurons in control rats were inhibited by systemic administration of apomorphine, with their sensitivity being inversely related to their initial firing rate. The sensitivity of the residual dopamine neurons to apomorphine was unaltered in rats tested 6-10 days after depletions of at least 60% of striatal dopamine. However, by 4-8 weeks post-lesion, there was a significant increase in the sensitivity to apomorphine; furthermore, sensitivity was no longer related to baseline firing rate, but instead was uniformly high in all dopamine neurons tested at this time. This enhanced sensitivity was not altered by hemisection of the striatonigral projection, suggesting that the increased sensitivity to apomorphine was most likely a result of a time-dependent up-regulation of somatodendritic autoreceptors on the residual dopamine neurons.

Chronic cocaine administration and withdrawal of cocaine modify neurotensin binding in rat brain

Neurotensin (NT) is a peptide colocalized with dopamine (DA) within some mesocorticolimbic DA neurons that are affected by cocaine. We assessed whether chronic treatment with cocaine and withdrawal from cocaine would alter NT binding within these and other areas in the brain. Rats were given infusions repeatedly of isotonic saline or cocaine (1 mg/kg i.v. every 12 min for 2 hr over 10 days) and then were killed within 15 min of the last treatment session ("cocaine" or "saline") or 10 days later ("withdrawal"). Brains were processed for NT receptor autoradiography. Cocaine affected NT binding in the mesocortical regions differently from other areas. Within the mesocorticolimbic system, NT binding in the parabrachial pigmented nucleus of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) was 67% lower in cocaine-treated rats killed immediately after or 10 days after their final infusion than in rats given saline. In contrast to the perikaryal region, significantly more NT binding occurred postsynaptically in the terminal areas of the VTA (prefrontal cortex [PFC] and substantia nigra, pars compacta) 10 days after withdrawal of cocaine than in the saline controls. NT binding in the nucleus accumbens was unaffected by cocaine or its withdrawal. Cocaine also decreased NT binding in non-mesocorticolimbic areas, including the dorsal hypothalamic area and the zona incerta, but binding returned toward control levels 10 days after withdrawal from cocaine. These data suggest that in central areas poor in DA uptake sites such as the PFC, NT may be a critical element in the inactivation of DA. Chronic cocaine treatment and its withdrawal appear to uncouple the normal NT-DA interaction at both the cell bodies and terminals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Comparative analysis of the effects of iontophoretically applied dopamine in different regions of the rat brain, with special reference to the cingulate cortex

A systematic comparison of the effects of iontophoresed dopamine (DA) was carried out in the neostriatum (NS), nucleus accumbens (Acb) and anterior cingulate (ACg), prefrontal (PF) and parietal (Par) cortex of urethane-anesthetized rats, before and after treatment with the specific DA uptake blockers GBR 12909 and Bupropion. Similar experiments were also conducted after DA denervation with 6-hydroxydopamine and after DA depletion with alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine. The average rate of spontaneous neuronal firing was comparable in all regions, except in the NS after DA depletion. A majority of the units were inhibited by DA in every region and condition tested. As assessed with the IT50 index, the responsiveness to DA was not markedly different between regions, indicating that the postsynaptic sensitivity to this amine is independent of the density of DA receptors and of DA innervation. In contrast, the average duration of DA inhibitions (RT90) was considerably longer (5-fold) in the intact ACg than in the PF, Par, NS, or Acb. Moreover, treatment with both DA uptake blockers reduced the duration of DA inhibitions in ACg (4- to 9-fold); while lengthening it in PF, NS and Acb; and having no apparent effect in Par. DA depletion and DA denervation also reduced the duration of the DA inhibitions in ACg without effect in Par. Taken together, these results provide further evidence for the existence of a presynaptic, positive-feedback mechanism in ACg, triggered by DA, and favouring the further release of this transmitter upon its reuptake in DA nerve terminals.

Characterization of the distribution of G alpha o in rat striatal synaptosomes and its colocalization with tyrosine hydroxylase

Dopaminergic striatal synaptosomes can be detected and isolated with a fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS). In the present study, two antigens were detected simultaneously with primary antisera raised in different species and species-specific fluorescent secondary antibodies with different emission spectra. Double-label FACS analysis was used to determine whether tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and the alpha subunit of Go (G alpha o) are colocalized in striatal synaptosomes. Rabbit antibodies generated against a synthetic fragment of G alpha o (corresponding to amino acids 22-35) combined with fluorescein-conjugated secondary antibodies were used to detect G alpha o-containing striatal synaptosomes. Preadsorption of G alpha o antiserum with the synthetic peptide antigen reduced labeling to the level obtained with preimmune serum. Approximately 65-75% of striatal synaptosomes were specifically labeled by G alpha o antiserum. Tyrosine hydroxylase-containing synaptosomes were detected with a mouse monoclonal antibody to TH and R-phycoerythrin-conjugated secondary antibody. They comprised 15-17% of total striatal synaptosomes. Double-label studies indicated that at least 50% of TH-containing synaptosomes also contained G alpha o. These findings suggest that G alpha o may not be a protein component of all striatal nerve terminals, and provide a basis for a role for G alpha o in signal transduction within subpopulations of intrinsic and afferent nerve terminals, including those of nigrostriatal dopamine neurons.

Receptor selectivity of cholecystokinin effects on mesoaccumbens dopamine neurons

Extracellular recording techniques were combined with antidromic stimulation to examine the effects of C-terminal cholecystokinin (CCK) fragments and CCK antagonists on the activity of identified mesoaccumbens dopamine (MADA) neurons in chloral hydrate-anesthetized rats. These experiments were designed to determine the receptor selectivity of sulfated CCK octapeptide (CCK-8S) effects on MADA cells. Neither CCK tetrapeptide (CCK-4) nor unsulfated CCK octapeptide (CCK-8U) significantly altered MADA cell basal firing rate or responsiveness to the inhibitory effects of the D2 DA agonist quinpirole. As reported previously for ventral tegmental area DA cells, CCK-8S produced increases or decreases in the firing rate of most MADA cells sampled. CCK-8S also enhanced the sensitivity of MADA neurons to quinpirole-induced inhibition. This increase in sensitivity to quinpirole was blocked by pretreatment with the nonselective CCK receptor antagonist proglumide and the preferential CCK-A receptor antagonist CR 1409 but not by the preferential CCK-B receptor antagonist L-365,260. The inactivity of CCK-4 and CCK-8U in these tests and the results with the antagonists suggest that the effects of CCK-8S on MADA neuronal activity are mediated by CCK-A receptors.

Effect of the 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT on the release of 5-HT in dorsal and median raphe-innervated rat brain regions as measured by in vivo microdialysis

Recent electrophysiological studies, measurements of 5-HT synthesis and in vivo voltammetry recordings of 5-HT metabolism have suggested that serotoninergic neurones in the median raphe (MR) are less sensitive to 5-HT1A autoreceptor stimulation relative to those in the dorsal raphe (DR). To further study the putative differences in regulation between ascending 5-HT projections from the raphe nuclei we have used microdialysis to measure the release of 5-HT in ventral hippocampus, globus pallidus, dorsal hippocampus, frontal cortex, nucleus accumbens and medial septum, following systemic administration of the specific 5-HT1A agonist 8-OH-DPAT. The results show that the baseline output of 5-HT was similar in each of the areas studied. While 8-OH-DPAT decreased dialysate levels of 5-HT in all areas, the inhibition of 5-HT release seen in globus pallidus was significantly less marked compared to that observed in the other five regions. The results indicate that 5-HT1A autoreceptor-mediated control of 5-HT release is functional in all of the brain areas studied, including those receiving a preferential 5-HT innervation from the DR and MR. We find little evidence in support of the idea that brain 5-HT neuronal projections are heterogenous with respect to 5-HT1A autoreceptor regulation of 5-HT release; the globus pallidus, however representing a possible exception to this.

Influence of acute and chronic haloperidol treatment on dopamine metabolism in the rat caudate-putamen, prefrontal cortex and amygdala

The present study investigated the actions of single and repeated injections of the classical antipsychotic drug, haloperidol (1 mg.kg-1 IP), on dopamine (DA) metabolism in three distinct rat brain regions, namely the prefrontal cortex, amygdala and caudate-putamen (CP), using a high-performance liquid chromatographic assay. Acute administration of the drug caused significant elevations in concentrations of two major DA metabolites in all three areas studied. Less marked acute increases were seen in the CP following 10 days of repeated haloperidol treatment. However, in both the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala, the development of such "tolerance" was somewhat delayed in comparison, occurring only after a 22-day treatment schedule. The amygdala displayed the greatest degree of neurochemical tolerance, returning to control values by day 22 of chronic treatment. When allowance was made for the withdrawal effects of antipsychotic drug administration, a genuine tolerance phenomenon was observed in all three areas examined. These data suggest that if neurochemical tolerance is a prerequisite for functional DA receptor blockade and hence therapeutic efficacy, then both the prefrontal cortex and amygdala should be considered as potential therapeutic targets of haloperidol and perhaps antipsychotic drugs in general.

Measurement of endogenous dopamine and norepinephrine release from superfused slices of rat prefrontal cortex in vitro: modulation by D2 and alpha-2 presynaptic receptors

Endogenous dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) in the superfusate from slices of rat medial prefrontal cortex were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD). Stimulation with high K+ or methamphetamine (MAP) evoked a dose-dependent elevation in the release of DA and NE, although spontaneous release of DA or NE was barely detectable. The K(+)-evoked release was Ca++ dependent, whereas the MAP-evoked release was not. The K(+)-evoked DA release was inhibited by the DA agonist apomorphine (1 microM or 10 microM) and enhanced by the D2 antagonist (-)-sulpiride (1 microM). The K(+)-evoked NE release was inhibited by the alpha-2 agonist clonidine (0.1 microM or 1 microM) and enhanced by the alpha-2 antagonist idazoxan (1 microM). These results confirm the existence of release modulatory D2 and alpha-2 receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex. The present study is the first description of a method which allows evaluation of the release of endogenous DA or NE in the cortex slices and is competent to examine the properties of the two catecholamines release and their regulation by presynaptic receptors.

Cocaine effects in the ventral tegmental area: evidence for an indirect dopaminergic mechanism of action

Behavioral studies have implicated central dopaminergic systems, especially the ventral tegmental area of Tsai (VTA), in the mediation of the reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse such as cocaine. A brain slice preparation of the VTA was used to assess the direct effects of cocaine on the spontaneous activity of dopamine-type neurons. When superfused with 1-10 microM cocaine the firing rate of spontaneously active VTA neurons was decreased, with no corresponding change in spike height. While there was a considerable variability in the response to a given concentration of cocaine among the individual units, every cell inhibited by dopamine was also inhibited by cocaine. The local anesthetic lidocaine had variable effects on firing rate, but never potentiated the inhibitory effects of dopamine. Inhibitory responses to either dopamine or cocaine were blocked by the specific D2 dopamine receptor antagonist sulpiride. Small concentrations of cocaine (0.1-0.5 microM), which by themselves had little or no effect on spontaneous activity, potentiated the inhibitory effect of exogenously applied dopamine. Furthermore, the inhibitory action of apomorphine on spontaneous activity in the VTA was not potentiated by cocaine. These observations suggest that in low concentrations, cocaine can act as a dopamine reuptake inhibitor in the VTA, and that the resultant increase in extracellular dopamine acts upon dopamine autoreceptors to inhibit cellular activity.

Clozapine: an atypical neuroleptic

Since it was synthesized in 1960, much has been written about clozapine. Although a number of its properties are those of a neuroleptic, it displays marked differences from classical antipsychotics to the extent that it is currently listed as an atypical neuroleptic. A classical neuroleptic has been defined in man according to its antipsychotic properties, accompanied by extrapyramidal effects, and in animals according to its cataleptic properties, its ability to antagonize apomorphine and amphetamine stereotypies and to suppress the conditioned avoidance response. Moreover, the classical neuroleptic exerted depressive and anhedonic effects in most conditioning schedules. With clozapine, most of these properties are no longer strictly in force to the point that they call in question the validity of the tests carried out to detect the potential of neuroleptics. This article attempts to compare the characteristics of clozapine with those of classical neuroleptics from a toxicological, neuropharmacological, psychopharmacological and clinical point of view.

Irreversible receptor inactivation reveals differences in dopamine receptor reserve between A9 and A10 dopamine systems: an electrophysiological analysis

Partial receptor inactivation was used as a tool to examine whether differences in receptor reserve exist between the dopamine receptor populations which mediate responses of substantia nigra (A9) and ventral tegmental area (A10) dopamine neurons to dopamine agonist drugs. The irreversible receptor inactivator, N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2- dihydroquinoline (EEDQ), was administered to rats intraperitoneally at a dose of 6 mg/kg (in an ethanol-water vehicle). Approximately 24 h after EEDQ treatments, extracellular, single-unit recording experiments were carried out. In the first series of experiments, dose-response curves were constructed for the inhibition of A9 and A10 dopamine cell firing by intravenous administration of the potent dopamine agonist, R-(-)-N-n-propylnorapomorphine (NPA). For the A9 dopamine cell group, EEDQ pretreatments caused a 3-fold rightward shift in the NPA dose-response curve (ED50S, 0.3 vs 0.8 micrograms/kg for vehicle- and EEDQ-treated rats, respectively), but there was no change in the maximum attainable response (greater than 95% inhibition of cell firing). For A10 neurons, the same EEDQ treatments produced a greater rightward shift in the dose-response curve to NPA (ED50s, 0.6 vs 5.4 micrograms/kg for vehicle- and EEDQ-treated rats), and also depressed the maximum response by about 25% relative to the control (vehicle) curve. The dose-response curves from each region were subjected to Furchgott analysis to determine relative receptor occupancy-response relationships for NPA. For the A9 system, a steep, hyperbolic occupancy-response plot revealed that a 50% inhibitory response required only 4% receptor occupancy, while complete (greater than 95%) inhibition of cell firing required about 30% occupancy. This suggests about a 70% receptor reserve for this agonist in inhibiting A9 dopamine cell firing. The occupancy-response curve for A10 cells was less steep with 50% and maximal (greater than 95%) responses occurring when 11 and 70% of receptors were occupied by the agonist, indicating only about a 30% reserve for A10 cell responses to NPA. While the level of 'spare' receptors differed substantially between the two areas, calculated pseudo-KA values were similar (7.7 micrograms/kg for A9 cells and 5.5 micrograms/kg for A10 cells), suggesting no regional differences in receptor affinity. To explore where the differences in receptor reserve might reside, a second series of studies evaluated the effects of iontophoretically applied dopamine and NPA on both cell groups in vehicle- and EEDQ-treated rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Effect of BHT 920 on monoaminergic neurons of the rat brain: an electrophysiological in vivo and in vitro study

BHT 920 was originally described as a dopamine autoreceptor agonist. In this study, the effect of this compound on the firing rate of noradrenergic locus coeruleus, serotonergic dorsal raphe and dopaminergic ventral tegmental area neurons was examined both in the anaesthetized rat and in rat brain slices. Extracellular recordings were performed in cells whose identity was determined by electrophysiological, pharmacological and histological criteria. In vivo, BHT 920 inhibited the firing of locus coeruleus neurons (ID50: 14.5 +/- 4.7 micrograms/kg, mean +/- SEM) and ventral tegmental area neurons (ID50: 7 +/- 3 micrograms/kg) at very low doses. As a comparison, the ID50 of clonidine on locus coeruleus cells was 5.5 +/- 0.6 microgram/kg and the ID50 of apomorphine on ventral tegmental area neurons was 13 +/- 3 micrograms/kg. BHT 920 also decreased the firing of dorsal raphe cells, but this effect was obtained at higher doses (ID50: 57 +/- 11 micrograms/kg). The in vitro study confirmed the results obtained in vivo. BHT 920 potently inhibited the firing of locus coeruleus cells (IC50: 71 +/- 28 nM) and was less potent than clonidine (IC50: 5.3 +/- 0.98 nM). The compound also inhibited the firing of ventral tegmental area neurons at very low concentrations (IC50: 21 +/- 3.3 nM), being more potent than apomorphine (IC50: 56 +/- 29 nM). BHT 920 only slightly decreased the firing rate of dorsal raphe neurons at 50 microM, showing that the drug has little direct effect on these cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Preferential decrease in dopamine utilization in prefrontal cortex by zopiclone, diazepam and zolpidem in unstressed rats

This study has compared the effects of a cyclopyrrolone, zopiclone, a benzodiazepine, diazepam, and an imidazopyridine, zolpidem, on dopamine (DA) and DOPAC levels, and DA utilization (DOPAC/DA ratio) in rat striatum and prefrontal cortex. The endogenous levels of DA were significantly increased by both zopiclone (2.5, 10 and 40 mg kg-1 p.o.) and diazepam (10 and 40 mg kg-1 p.o.) in the prefrontal cortex, whereas striatal DA content was significantly increased only with the highest dose of diazepam (40 mg kg-1 p.o.). Diazepam (10 and 40 mg kg-1 p.o.) decreased cortical level of DOPAC more markedly than striatal levels, whereas zopiclone (40 mg kg-1 p.o.) only slightly decreased striatal DOPAC levels. Zopiclone and diazepam dose-dependently decreased DA utilization, an effect which was more marked in prefrontal cortex than in striatum. This result was confirmed with zolpidem, another benzodiazepine ligand. Zopiclone was most potent at decreasing DA utilization at the cortical level. The diazepam-induced decreases in DA metabolism and utilization were antagonized by Ro 15-1788, suggesting that the effects seen were mediated by specific benzodiazepine receptors. Thus, our results clearly show that ligands acting on the benzodiazepine receptor GABA receptor chloride ionophore complex can decrease the utilization of dopamine in unstressed rats. The preferential decrease in cortical DA utilization induced by benzodiazepine ligands may be compared to the well-known activation by stress of the mesocortical DAergic system.

Is the release of dopamine from medial prefrontal cortex modulated by presynaptic receptors? Comparison with nigrostriatal and mesolimbic terminals

Results obtained from our in vitro studies employing superfused slices obtained from three functionally different brain regions rich in DA axon terminals were discussed. Striking qualitative and quantitative similarities were found for the modulation of DA release from the nucleus caudate and the OT of the rabbit. However, the PFC DA terminals showed important differences from the nigrostriatal and mesolimbic DA terminals. Although release modulatory D2 DA autoreceptors could also be demonstrated in superfused slices of the PFC, our results suggest that the cortical nerve terminals may have a lower number of functional autoreceptors or a reduced efficiency of coupling between receptors and inhibition of release. Either possibility could explain (a) the poor inhibitory efficacy of the agonists, (b) the small facilitatory effect of the antagonists, (c) the disproportionate increase in transmitter overflow produced by neuronal uptake inhibitors, and (d) the lack of synergism between uptake inhibitors and DA antagonists. When the efficacy of the autoreceptor mechanisms was evaluated at stimulation frequencies comparable to the in vivo firing rates reported for each of the three neuronal groups, it was found that DA release from the striatum and the OT was tightly modulated by presynaptic D2 DA receptors; whereas release from PFC was not. We propose that the autoreceptor-mediated control of DA release from PFC may not function in vivo, even though modulation of release by presynaptic D2 DA receptors from PFC terminals could be demonstrated under specific experimental conditions in vitro. However, it is envisaged that if in vivo firing rate of the PFC DA neurons is reduced, the inhibitory actions of DA agonists on DA release may be regained. From these and other studies it is apparent that drug effects on autoreceptors are highly dependent on the rate and duration of stimulation applied to a specific neuronal group. We propose that the basal status of activity of a specific neuronal target could determine the type and magnitude of the effect produced by a therapeutic agent acting at release modulatory receptors. The neuronal activity (firing rate and pattern) may be affected by physiological status, disease, and by current or previous drug treatments. The mechanisms by which PFC DA terminals release a larger proportion of their storage pool compared to other mesotelencephalic DA terminals is unknown and may represent a compensatory mechanism to the continuous rapid firing rates at which these neurons are exposed in vivo.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Mesocortical dopamine neurons: high basal firing frequency predicts tyrosine dependence of dopamine synthesis

Mesocortical dopamine (DA) neurons projecting to the prefrontal and cingulate cortices possess a faster basal firing rate and exhibit more bursting than other midbrain DA neurons. Thus, we examined whether tyrosine administration could preferentially affect DA synthesis in these DA neurons. Tyrosine administered at doses as low as 25 mg/kg significantly increased in vivo tyrosine hydroxylation in the prefrontal and cingulate cortices without affecting it in other mesocortical, mesolimbic, and nigrostriatal DA terminal fields examined. Further studies in the mesoprefrontal DA neurons showed that tyrosine administered at higher doses of 50 mg/kg initially enhanced tyrosine hydroxylation and elevated endogenous DA levels within 60 min. The resultant increases in DA levels appeared to feedback and normalize prefrontal tyrosine hydroxylase activity. The levels of DA metabolites in the prefrontal cortex were unaltered by doses of tyrosine from 25-200 mg/kg, suggesting that the functional transmitter outflow from these DA neurons is not normally affected by precursor administration under resting conditions. However, when these mesocortical DA neurons were pharmacologically activated following administration of the anxiogenic beta-carboline, FG7142, tyrosine administration (25 mg/kg) was effective in increasing DA metabolite levels in the prefrontal cortex. These results thus suggest that enhanced activity of the mesoprefrontal DA neurons renders these DA neurons much more dependent up on tyrosine availability for maintenance of transmitter output.

Acute effects of typical and atypical antipsychotic drugs on the release of dopamine from prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and striatum of the rat: an in vivo microdialysis study

In vivo microdialysis has been used to study the acute effects of antipsychotic drugs on the extracellular level of dopamine from the nucleus accumbens, striatum, and prefrontal cortex of the rat. (-)-Sulpiride (20, 50, and 100 mg/kg i.v.) and haloperidol (0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg i.v.) enhanced the outflow of dopamine in the striatum and nucleus accumbens. In the medial prefrontal cortex, (-)-sulpiride at all doses tested did not significantly affect the extracellular level of dopamine. The effect of haloperidol was also attenuated in the medial prefrontal cortex; 0.1 mg/kg did not increase the outflow of dopamine and the effect of 0.5 mg/kg haloperidol was of shorter duration in the prefrontal cortex than that observed in striatum and nucleus accumbens. The atypical antipsychotic drug clozapine (5 and 10 mg/kg) increased the extracellular concentration of dopamine in all three regions. In contrast to the effects of sulpiride and haloperidol, that of clozapine in the medial prefrontal cortex was profound. These data suggest that different classes of antipsychotic drugs may have distinct effects on the release of dopamine from the nigrostriatal, mesolimbic, and mesocortical terminals.

Evidence for the presence of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in the ventral tegmental area of the rat: an electrophysiological in vitro study

Extracellular recordings were obtained from spontaneously active, presumed dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the rat in a slice preparation. Bath-applied N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) (1-20 microM) activated all neurons tested (n = 36). This effect was clearly concentration-dependent (n = 14), quickly reversible and reproducible. No bursting type of discharge was observed during NMDA infusion. The NMDA receptor blocker DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (50 microM) reversibly antagonized the increase in cell firing produced with 10 microM NMDA by 83.5 +/- 3% (mean +/- S.E.M.) (n = 8, P less than 0.05). Lowering the Mg2+ concentration of the perfusion fluid to one-third of its normal value significantly enhanced the excitatory effect of 5 microM NMDA (n = 7, P less than 0.05), but not of 500 nM carbachol (n = 6). Finally, NMDA did not modify the sensitivity of dopaminergic autoreceptors of VTA neurons (n = 8), when compared to controls (n = 10). These observations strongly support the presence of specific NMDA receptors in the VTA.

Utilization of microdialysis for assessing the release of mesotelencephalic dopamine following clozapine and other antipsychotic drugs

1. In vivo microdialysis was utilized to assess the effect of clozapine, haloperidol, and sulpiride on the release of dopamine from the nucleus accumbens, striatum, and prefrontal cortex of the rat. 2. The results suggest that acute administration of various classes of antipsychotic drugs may differentially increase the extracellular concentration of dopamine in mesotelencephalic systems. Haloperidol and sulpiride were more effective in releasing dopamine from the terminals of the nigrostriatal dopamine system while clozapine had a more prefrontal effect on the mesolimbic and particularly the mesocortical dopamine systems.

Regulation of dopamine and serotonin synthesis by acute administration of cocaine

Because cocaine effectively increases extracellular levels of both dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5HT), it might be expected that this agent would inhibit transmitter biosynthesis in these monoamine neurons by activation of autoregulatory feedback pathways. This possibility was tested by measuring the effect of cocaine on 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine accumulation (DA synthesis) and 5-hydroxytryptophan accumulation (5HT synthesis) in vivo and in vitro after inhibition of aromatic amino acid decarboxylase with NSD-1015. In vivo, cocaine suppressed both DA and 5HT synthesis in a dose-dependent (10-60 mumols/kg, i.p.) and time-dependent fashion (maximum 60 min after administration, recovery by 120-150 min). Inhibition of DA and 5HT synthesis ranged from 35% to 60% depending on the brain region and was apparent in dopaminergic fields such as the medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, piriform cortex, striatum, and in noradrenergic fields, such as the hippocampus and temporal cortex. Inhibition of DA, but not 5HT, synthesis was blocked by the D2 antagonist sulpiride in brain areas containing DA nerve terminals. Procaine (30 mumols/kg) did not inhibit DA or 5HT synthesis and prior treatment with reserpine diminished the effectiveness of cocaine in the medial prefrontal cortex, but not in the striatum. Cocaine did not reverse the gamma-butyrolactone-induced increase in striatal DA synthesis nor did cocaine block the ability of the D2 agonist quinpirole to reverse the increase. In vitro, cocaine inhibited DA synthesis in depolarized (K+ = 30 mM) striatal brain slices, an effect that was reversed by the D2 antagonist eticlopride. These results suggest that DA and 5HT neurons compensate in situ for cocaine-induced increases in synaptic transmitter levels by a transient inhibition of transmitter biosynthesis. Acute suppression of transmitter synthesis (and release) in mesoprefrontal DA neurons may represent the principal compensatory mechanism in this group of neurons.

Characterization of dopamine release in the rat medial prefrontal cortex as assessed by in vivo microdialysis: comparison to the striatum

Using the technique of perfusion microdialysis combined with a small-bore liquid chromatography system we have measured the basal and drug-induced fluxes of extracellular dopamine in the medial prefrontal cortex of chloral hydrate-anesthetized rats and have compared our findings in the cortex to that observed in the striatum. The results were as follows. (1) At a flow rate of 2 microliter/min, the basal level of dopamine in the medial prefrontal cortex was 0.28 +/- 0.1 (n = 32) fmol/microliter perfusate, which was nearly an order of magnitude less than that obtained from the striatum. (2) alpha-Methyl-para-tyrosine (150 mg/kg i.v.) significantly decreased the extracellular levels of striatal and cortical dopamine. The magnitude and duration of the responses were similar in both regions. (3) Local perfusion with 30 mM K+ had a more profound effect on dopamine release in the striatum than in the medial prefrontal cortex. The K(+)-induced release in both regions was significantly attenuated in the absence of Ca2+. (4) The anxiogenic beta carboline FG 7142 (15 mg/kg, i.p.) enhanced the release of cortical dopamine by about 50% while it was without an effect in the striatum. (5) Amphetamine (1 mg/kg, i.v.) significantly elevated, while reserpine (5 mg/kg, i.p.) rapidly attenuated, the dopamine level in the medial prefrontal cortex. These studies demonstrate that perfusion microdialysis, in conjunction with small-bore liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection, can be used to measure the basal release of dopamine in the rat medial prefrontal cortex and that the dopamine release process in this region, as has been shown in the striatum, is sensitive to stimulation conditions and pharmacological manipulations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

D-2 dopamine autoreceptor selective drugs: do they really exist?

The catecholamine dopamine plays an important role as a neurotransmitter or neurohormone in the brain and pituitary gland. Dopamine exerts its effects through activation of two types of receptors called D-1 and D-2. These receptors are distinguished by their different pharmacological characteristics and signal transduction mechanism(s). Release of dopamine inhibits the activity of dopaminergic neurons through activation of so-called dopamine autoreceptors which are of the D-2 type. In general, these receptors occur both in the soma-dendritic region of the dopaminergic neuron, where they are involved in the inhibition of the firing rate and on the dopaminergic terminals where they mediate the inhibition of dopamine synthesis and release. D-2 receptors occur also on the target cells of dopaminergic neurons both in the brain (postsynaptic D-2 receptors) and pituitary gland. On the basis of data gathered from in vivo (behavioral- as well as electrophysiological) studies it has been concluded that D-2 agonists are much more potent at dopamine autoreceptors as compared to postsynaptic D-2 receptors, indicating the possibility of a pharmacological distinction between these differentially located D-2 receptors. This concept led to the introduction of a whole group of drugs allegedly displaying a selective agonist profile at the dopamine autoreceptor. In contrast, biochemical (in vitro) studies with brain tissue as well as the pituitary gland, did not reveal any significant difference between the pharmacological profiles of autoreceptors and postsynaptic D-2 receptors. In the present minireview a balanced discussion is presented of these in vivo and in vitro findings and it is concluded that both autoreceptors as well as postsynaptic D-2 receptors are similar if not identical entities.

Dopamine neuron ontogeny: electrophysiological studies

The ontogeny of nigrostriatal dopamine (NSDA) neurons was examined with single-unit extracellular electrophysiological methods. The physiological and pharmacological characteristics of 2-, 4-, and 5-week-old rat pup NSDA neurons were compared with those of adults (8-10 weeks old). Although the basal discharge rate, conduction velocity, and firing pattern of NSDA neurons from 4- and 5-week-old rats were similar to adults, the 2-week-old-rats differed significantly in all three of these physiological characteristics. The conduction velocity and basal discharge rate were found to be significantly lower in the 2-week-old pups relative to adults. In addition, there were significantly fewer bursting NSDA neurons in 2-week-olds than there were in adults. Two and 4-week-olds exhibited significantly lower sensitivity to cumulative intravenous doses of apomorphine. In contrast, the sensitivity to cumulative intravenous doses of quinpirole was found to be similar across all age groups. It is evident that the pharmacological and physiological properties of NSDA neurons are in a dynamic state of flux during postnatal development. These electrophysiological findings are discussed in the context of the perinatal development of midbrain DA systems.

Comparison of the effect of morphine on locus coeruleus noradrenergic and ventral tegmental area dopaminergic neurons in vitro

Extracellular single-cell recordings were performed on rat brain slices to compare the effects of morphine on noradrenergic neurons of the locus coeruleus (LC) and on dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Morphine inhibited the firing of LC neurons at very low concentrations. The mean IC50 was 13.4 +/- 1nM (mean +/- SEM) (n = 7). Moreover, the inhibitory effect of morphine was identical in slices obtained from rats anesthetized with chloral hydrate or from non-anesthetized rats. On the contrary, morphine did not have any influence on the firing of most VTA neurons (N = 20) up to 100 microM, and did not modify the sensitivity of their autoreceptors (N = 8). It is concluded that morphine potently inhibits the firing of LC neurons in vitro both in slices of anesthetized and not anesthetized animals and has no direct excitatory effect on VTA dopaminergic neurons of the rat.

Release of [3H]dopamine from rat prefrontal cortex: modulation through presynaptic cholinergic heteroreceptors

The release of tritiated dopamine ([3H]DA) from slices of the rat prefrontal cortex was studied using a superfusion technique. Release appeared to be voltage-dependent and also dependent on external Ca2+, suggesting the presence of a specific neurotransmitter release mechanism. gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), aspartate, glutamate and serotonin had no effect on either basal DA release or K(+)-stimulated release. Carbachol, a cholinergic agonist, inhibited K(+)-stimulated DA release. The results demonstrate that cholinergic heteroreceptors on dopaminergic terminals of the prefrontal cortex modulate DA release.

(+/-)-3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine-induced changes in the basal activity and pharmacological responsiveness of nigrostriatal dopamine neurons

The present study examined the effects of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on the basal activity and pharmacological responsiveness of rat nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) neurons. Under standard in vivo extracellular single-unit recording conditions, acute MDMA administered alone (i.v.) inhibited the firing rate of nigrostriatal DA neurons in a dose-dependent fashion. The potency of MDMA to elicit this inhibition was significantly reduced following depletion of either serotonin or DA. Acute MDMA pretreatments (10 mg/kg i.v., 90 s) also profoundly enhanced the sensitivity of nigrostriatal DA neurons to the rate-inhibitory effects of the D-2 DA receptor agonist quinpirole but not apomorphine. It has previously been demonstrated that the ability of quinpirole and apomorphine to inhibit nigrostriatal DA neuronal activity is dependent on the basal firing rate of the cell. Both acute MDMA and a single dose of MDMA (15 mg/kg i.p.) one week prior eliminated the rate dependency of quinpirole- and apomorphine-induced inhibition of the firing rate of these cells. These data suggest that, although MDMA is known to be a serotonergic neurotoxin, this compound may also exert direct functional effects on the nigrostriatal DA system.

Regionally-specific alterations in mesotelencephalic dopamine synthesis in diabetic rats: association with precursor tyrosine

The effect of diabetes-induced chronic tyrosine (Tyr) deficiency on dopamine (DA) synthesis in different areas of the mesotelencephalic DA system was examined. Diabetes was induced using streptozotocin. In vivo Tyr hydroxylation was used as an index of DA synthesis. The brain areas examined were prefrontal cortex (PFC), pyriform cortex (PYR), olfactory tubercle (OT), caudate-putamen (CP), substantia nigra (SN), and ventral tegmental area (VTA). Significant decreases in Tyr hydroxylation were observed in PFC, CP, and PYR. The largest decrease was seen in the PFC. Variations in tissue Tyr levels were shown to account for 62% of the variability in Tyr hydroxylation in the PFC, and 23% of the variability in the CP; a significant correlation between Tyr levels and Tyr hydroxylation was not seen in the other brain areas. The mechanisms underlying this regionally selective effect, and possible clinical relevance are discussed.

Possible existence of a presynaptic positive feedback mechanism enhancing dopamine transmission in the anterior cingulate cortex of the rat

A series of microiontophoretic and VTA stimulation experiments, conducted in intact, GBR-12909-treated, alpha-methylparatyrosine-depleted or 6-hydroxydopamine-denervated rats, provide suggestive evidence for the existence of a presynaptic, positive feedback mechanism triggered by dopamine reuptake and favoring the release of this transmitter in the anterior cingulate cortex.

Electrophysiological effects of neurotensin on dopaminergic neurones of the ventral tegmental area of the rat in vitro

The effects of neurotensin on the spontaneous firing rate of presumed dopaminergic neurones of the ventral tegmental area of the rat, were studied in a slice preparation of brain by extracellular single-cell recordings. Bath-applied neurotensin excited all cells which were studied (N = 25). This effect was concentration-dependent; the threshold was 10(-10) M and maximal activation (about 30 spikes/10 sec) was obtained with 10(-6) M. The EC50 (half-maximal effective concentration) was roughly estimated at 35 nM. The action of neurotensin was mimicked by neurotensin 8-13 (N = 6), but not neurotensin 1-8 (N = 6). It persisted in low-calcium, high-magnesium solutions (N = 5) and therefore probably resulted from a direct activation of neurotensin receptors. The responses to neurotensin were long-lasting (30-60 min after a 10 min 10(-7) M infusion) and exhibited little tachyphylaxis. Dose-response curves to the dopaminergic agonist BHT920 showed that, during the infusion of 10(-7) M neurotensin, dopaminergic autoreceptors of some neurones were less sensitive than in control conditions. This was not a non-specific effect produced by the excitation, since it was not observed during the infusion of another excitant, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA). These results show that neurotensin potently activates presumed dopaminergic neurones in the ventral tegmental area in vitro; it may also decrease the effectiveness of the autoreceptors of some neurones.

Stimulation-induced release of coexistent transmitters in the prefrontal cortex: an in vivo microdialysis study of dopamine and neurotensin release

Extracellular fluid levels of dopamine and neurotensin in the rat prefrontal cortex were measured using in vivo microdialysis. Electrical stimulation of the median forebrain bundle resulted in increased release of both dopamine and neurotensin from the prefrontal cortex. Thus, stimulation of neurons in which dopamine and neurotensin are colocalized can evoke the in vivo release of both substances.

A mechanism for the involvement of colocalized neuropeptides in the actions of antipsychotic drugs

Evidence has accumulated to implicate neuropeptides localized within midbrain dopamine neurons (cholecystokinin, neurotensin, acetylcholinesterase) in synaptic transmission, mental disease, and pharmacotherapy. We suggest a means by which antipsychotic drugs alter the dynamics between dopamine and colocalized peptides: the intrinsic ability of these agents to stimulate dopamine neuronal activity while blocking dopamine receptors modulates the ratio of catecholaminergic to peptidergic transmission within the mesotelencephalic system. Imbalances of peptide and dopamine cotransmission and their modulation by neuroleptics may be relevant to the pathogenesis and pharmacotherapy of schizophrenia.