Neuropharmacological evidence to suggest that the nucleus accumbens and subpallidal region contribute to exploratory locomotion.
Rats showed a substantial increase in locomotor activity when novel objects were introduced into an open-field apparatus. This exploratory locomotion was reduced significantly when glutamic acid diethyl ester HCl, a glutamate antagonist, was injected bilaterally into the nucleus accumbens or when gamma-aminobutyric acid was injected bilaterally into the subpallidal region. These observations provide preliminary support for a contribution of the nucleus accumbens and subpallidal region to exploratory locomotion.
D000818:Animals; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D005917:Globus Pallidus / Q000187:drug effects*; D005971:Glutamates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000187:drug effects; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012686:Septal Nuclei / Q000187:drug effects*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
D005971:Glutamates; C011829:glutamic acid diethyl ester; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid