title: Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol facilitates striatal dopaminergic transmission.
abstract: We examined the effects of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on striatal dopaminergic neurons in rats. THC inhibited the uptake of 3H-dopamine (DA) into striatal synaptosomes. THC facilitated the release of endogenous DA but not dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) from striatal slices. The concentration of DA in the dorsolateral striatum was reduced by THC. We propose that THC may stimulate nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurotransmission mainly by inhibiting uptake of DA and by facilitating release of DA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Fukuoka University, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakurai-Yamashita
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kataoka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mine
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ueki
mesh_terms: D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009627:Nomifensine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; D009627:Nomifensine; D008694:Methamphetamine; D013759:Dronabinol; D004298:Dopamine