Abstract
The role of the nucleus accumbens septi (ACB) and corpus striatum (CPU) in self-stimulation were investigated by injecting directly or indirectly acting stimulant drugs or a dopamine-(DA-) receptor blocking agent into each site bilaterally. d-Amphetamine (68 nmol) facilitated hypothalamic self-stimulation when injected into either site. Apomorphine (40 nmol) depressed or facilitated responding, the direction and magnitude of this effect being contingent (C=0.52) on the effect of systemic injection (0.3 mg/kg i.p.), and correlated with the difference between the effects of d-and l-amphetamine (0.5 mg/kg i.p.) but not with injection site. Haloperidol (6.6 nmol) in either site depressed self-stimulation. Tyramine (730 nmol), an agent believed to cause noncontingent displacement of transmitter from catecholamine terminals, depressed self-stimulation when injected into CPU, but facilitated it when injected into ACB. The sitespecific effects found with tyramine but not with apomorphine may have been due to release by tyramine of transmitters other than DA.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Broch, O. J., Marsden, C. A.: Regional distribution of monoamines in the corpus striatum of rats. Brain Res. 38, 425–428 (1972)
Broekkamp, C. L. E., Pijnenberg, A. J. J., Cools, A. R., Van Rossum, J. M. The effect of microinjections of amphetamine into the neostriatum and nucleus accumbens on self-stimulation behaviour. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 42, 179–183 (1975)
Broekkamp, C. L. E., Van Rossum, J. M.: Effects of apomorphine on self-stimulation behavior. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 34, 71–80 (1974)
Broekkamp, C. L. E., Van Rossum, J. M.: The effect of microinjections of morphine and haloperidol into the neostriatum and nucleus accumbens on self-stimulation behavior. Arch. Int. Pharmacodyn. Ther. 217, 110–117 (1975)
Butcher, L. L., Talbot, K., Bilezikjian, L.: Acetylcholinesterase neurones in dopamine-containing regions of the brain. J. Neural. Trans. 37, 127–153 (1975)
Crow, T. J.: Enhancement by cocaine of intracranial self-stimulation in the rat. Life Sci. 9, 375–381 (1970)
Crow, T. J.: Catecholamine-containing neurones and electrical self-stimulation. II. A theoretical interpretation and some psychiatric implications. Psychol. Med. 3, 66–73 (1973)
Franklin, K. B. J., Herberg, L. J.: Non-contingent displacement of catecholamine by intraventricular tyramine: biphasic doseresponse effects on self-stimulation. Neuropharmacology 16, 53–55 (1977)
Fuxe, K., Jonsson, G.: Further mapping of central 5-hydroxytryptamine neurones: studies with the neurotoxic dihydroxytryptamines. Adv. Biochem. Psychopharmacol. 10, 1–12 (1974)
Herberg, L. J., Stephens, D. N.: Catecholamines and self-stimulation: the action of amantadine and its interaction with amphetamine. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 3, 263–269 (1975)
Herberg, L. J., Stephens, D. N., Franklin, K. B. J.: Catecholamines and self-stimulation: evidence suggesting a reinforcing role for noradrenaline and a motivating role for dopamine. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 4, 575–582 (1976)
Liebman, J. M., Butcher, L. L.: Effects on self-stimulation behavior of drugs influencing dopaminergic neurotransmission mechanisms. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch. Pharmacol. 279, 305–318 (1973)
Lippa, A. S., Antelman, S. M., Fisher, A. E., Canfield, D. R.: Neurochemical mediation of reward: a significant role for dopamine? Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 1, 23–28 (1973)
Mora, F., Rolls, E. T., Burton, M. J., Shaw, S. G.: Effects of dopamine receptor blockade on self-stimulation in the monkey. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 4, 211–216 (1976)
Pellegrino, L. J., Cushman, A. J.: A stereotaxic atlas of the rat brain. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts 1967
Shute, C. C. D., Lewis, P. R.: Cholinesterase-containing systems of the brain in the rat. Nature (Lond.) 199, 1160–1164 (1963)
Smith, A. D.: Mechanisms involved in the release of noradrenaline from sympathetic nerves. Br. Med. Bull. 29, 123–129 (1973)
Stephens, D. N., Herberg, L. J.: Catecholamines and self-stimulation: pharmacological differences between near-and far-lateral hypothalamic sites. Brain Res. 90, 348–351 (1975)
Ungerstedt, U.: Stereotaxic mapping of the monoamine pathways in the rat brain. Acta Physiol. Scand. [Suppl.] 367, 1–48 (1971)
Von Voigtlander, P. F., Moore, K. E.: Involvement of nigrostriatal neurons in the in vivo release of dopamine by amphetamine, amantadine, and tyramine. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 184, 542–552 (1973)
Wauquier, A., Niemegeers, C. J. E.: Intracranial self-stimulation in rats as a function of various stimulus parameters. III. Influence of apomorphine on medial forebrain bundle stimulation with monopolar electrodes. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 30, 163–172 (1973)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Stephens, D.N., Herberg, L.J. Effects of hypothalamic self-stimulation of drugs influencing dopaminergic neurotransmission injected into nucleus accumbens and corpus striatum of rats. Psychopharmacology 54, 81–85 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426546
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426546