Enhanced dopamine metabolism after small lesions in the midbrain of the rat |
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| Authors: | B H Westerink J A van der Heyden J Korf |
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| Institution: | 1. Laboratory for Pharmaceutical and Analytical Chemistry, Department of Clinical Chemistry, State University, Deusinglaan 2, 9713 AW, Groningen, The Netherlands;2. Department of Biological Psychiatry, State University, Groningen, The Netherlands |
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| Abstract: | The effect of midbrain lesions on the metabolism of dopamine (DA) in various regions of the rat brain was investigated. Small midbrain lesions produced an acute increase in the levels of the acidic metabolites homovanillic acid (HVA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in the striatum. Elevated levels of HVA were also found in the nucleus accumbens, tuberculum olfactorium and the cerebral cortex. The levels of HVA in the substantia nigra remained unaffected. The acute effect in the striatum of a complete transection of the ascending DA-pathway consists in an initial decrease of the levels of the metabolites followed by gradual increase. The results indicate that dopaminergic neurons do not act in an uncoordinated fashion, and that rapidly acting compensatory mechanisms are able to modify the output of this system. |
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