title: Acute effect of nicotine on the striatal dopaminergic system in the rat.
abstract: The acute effects of nicotine (1.5 mg kg-1 day-1) on the striatal dopaminergic system have been examined in the rat. Twenty-four hours after nicotine treatment, spontaneous locomotor activity in response to apomorphine or (+)-amphetamine and the binding of [3H]spiperone to striatal particulates were determined. Pretreatment of nicotine did not alter the characteristics of [3H]spiperone binding to striatal dopamine receptors. The nicotine treatment did not affect the apomorphine-induced locomotor activity, however, the (+)-amphetamine-stimulated locomotor activity was attenuated. These results suggest that nicotine acutely alters the presynaptic dopaminergic activity without significantly affecting the postsynaptic dopaminergic function.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects*; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D009538:Nicotine; D003913:Dextroamphetamine