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Antagonistic effects of stimulation of the paramedian reticular nucleus in the rat medulla oblongata and of amphetamine on locomotor activity and striatal release of dopamine-like material

Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology volume 348, pages 258–263 (1993)Cite this article

Summary

The effects of stimulation of the paramedian reticular nucleus (PRN) in the rat medulla oblongata on both amphetamine-induced locomotor activity and striatal release of dopamine-like material were assessed. PRN stimulation (by intra-PRN injection of the excitatory amino acid, kainic acid) decreased vertical motion and total distance travelled, and increased postural freezing, in freely moving rats. On the other hand, a small dose (e.g. 1.25 mg/kg, i.p.) of amphetamine increased locomotor activity (including horizontal motion, vertical motion, total distance travelled and lines crossed counts), increased the number of turnings (both clockwise and anti-clockwise), induced locomotor stereotypy (including both gamma value and number of trip types), and inhibited postural freezing. The changes in activity induced by amphetamine administration were suppressed following PRN stimulation. In vivo voltammetric data revealed that electrical stimulation of the PRN decreased the release of dopamine-like material in the corpus striatum. This effect could be mimicked by intra-PRN injection of kainic acid in anesthetized rats. In contrast, i.p. administration of amphetamine increased the release of dopamine-like material in the corpus striatum. Furthermore, the enhanced release of dopamine-like material induced by amphetamine was attenuated by simultaneous stimulation of the PRN. The results reported here indicate that PRN stimulation decreases the striatal dopamine release and results in attenuation of the amphetamine-induced locomotor activity responses in rats.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan City, Taiwan, Republic of China

    M.T. Lin & S.F. Chuang

  2. Department of Electrical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Y.C. Li & M.S. Young

  3. Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

    C.Y. Chai

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  1. M.T. Lin
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  2. S.F. Chuang
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  3. Y.C. Li
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  4. M.S. Young
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  5. C.Y. Chai
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Correspondence to M. T. Lin at the above address

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Lin, M., Chuang, S., Li, Y. et al. Antagonistic effects of stimulation of the paramedian reticular nucleus in the rat medulla oblongata and of amphetamine on locomotor activity and striatal release of dopamine-like material. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch Pharmacol 348, 258–263 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00169153

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00169153

Key words

  • Amphetamine
  • Locomotor activity
  • Paramedian reticular nucleus
  • Dopamine
  • Corpus striatum
  • Voltammetry