Daily changes in in vitro spontaneous dopamine efflux from the corpus striatum of male rats

In the present experiment we examined the spontaneous in vitro dopamine (DA) efflux from superfused corpus striatum (CS) of male rats at 3-hr intervals throughout a 24-hr photoperiod (lights on 0500-1900 hr). Maximal mean efflux, and post-superfusion DA concentrations were obtained at 0600 hr. With the exception of 0600 hr, mean efflux was lower during the light compared to the dark phase. Interestingly, the direction of the efflux profiles also varied as a function of time demonstrating increasing, decreasing and relatively stable profiles over the superfusion period. These changes in overall mean efflux, post-superfusion tissue concentration and efflux rate profile direction indicate that circadian processes play a complex role upon the synthesis/release process of DA from the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system that is revealed under the dynamic conditions of in vitro superfusion of isolated CS fragments.