title: Chemical lesions of the nucleus accumbens septi in rats: effects on muricide and apomorphine-induced aggression.
abstract: To assess the influence of monoaminergic neurones in the nucleus accumbens septi (NAS) on muricidal and apomorphine-induced aggression, bilateral intraaccumbens injections of relevant neurotoxins were performed. Neurochemical effects in the mesolimbic area (NAS and tuberculi olfactorii) and striatal tissue were investigated using high performance liquid chromatography. 6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) with desipramine pretreatment significantly decreased mesolimbic dopamine (DA) metabolism, 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) plus desipramine diminished serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), while DSP-4 depleted noradrenaline (NA), 5-HT, 5-HIAA and tryptophan in the mesolimbic area. No significant biochemical changes were observed in the striatum. Behaviourally, 6-OHDA-treated rats were markedly more aggressive in the apomorphine-induced fighting test. Similarly, DSP-4 injections into the NAS (10 micrograms/1 microliter) enhanced this type of aggression. The 5,7-DHT lesion did not alter apomorphine-induced fighting. None of the neurotoxins induced muricidal behaviour. It is concluded that dopaminergic postsynaptic receptors in the NAS may be involved in the pro-aggressive effect of apomorphine. The results support the hypothesis that NA-containing neurones play an inhibitory role in apomorphine-induced aggression and suggest that such a DA-NA interaction might occur in the NAS.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pucilowski
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valzelli
mesh_terms: D015116:5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001596:Benzylamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology; D006892:Hydroxydopamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000502:physiology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000502:physiology; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000502:physiology*; D016627:Oxidopamine; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012686:Septal Nuclei / Q000502:physiology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission
chemical_list: D001596:Benzylamines; D006892:Hydroxydopamines; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D015116:5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine; D012701:Serotonin; D016627:Oxidopamine; D001058:Apomorphine; C012102:DSP 4; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine