Ontogenesis of neostriatal cholinergic neurones in the rat and development of their sensitivity to neuroleptic drugs.
Simultaneous determinations of the striatal contents in acetylcholine (ACh), choline acetyl-transferase (ChAc) and acetyl-cholinesterase (AChE) were made in neonate rats from day 4 to day 16 after birth. While, during this period, ChAc and AChE increased 14 and 5-fold, respectively, the change of ACh levels was smaller and more gradual. ACh levels were unaltered following the injection of thioproperazine (5 mg/kg) until day 8, then within 6 days the cholinergic neurones developed a full sensitivity to this drug. The sensitivity to haloperidol (4 mg/kg), pimozide (4 mg/kg) and to the dopamine receptor stimulating drug apomorphine (10 mg/kg) appeared along with that to thioproperazine. These data confirm and extend previous reports that rat striatal cholinergic neurones are immature at birth; they suggest, in addition, that the development of dopamine receptors occurs prior to the appearance of functional cholinergic synapses or concomitant with this event.
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D014149:Tranquilizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
D014149:Tranquilizing Agents; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D000109:Acetylcholine; D004298:Dopamine