Mesolimbic and mesocortical dopaminergic neurons are necessary for normal exploratory behavior in rats.
After ablation of mesolimbic and mesocortical dopaminergic neurons produced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) injections in the anterolateral hypothalamus, rats investigate a novel object less. Systemic administration of the dopamine (DA) agonist apomorphine increases investigatory movements in these DA-denervated rats when the object is novel, but not when the object is familiar. Pimozide pretreatment prevents the increased investigation produced by apomorphine in DA-denervated rats. These findings suggest that mesolimbic and mesocortical DA neurons are necessary for normal exploratory behavior in the rat.
D000818:Animals; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D006892:Hydroxydopamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D007032:Hypothalamus, Anterior / Q000502:physiology; D008032:Limbic System / Q000502:physiology*; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000502:physiology; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000502:physiology; D016627:Oxidopamine; D051381:Rats
D006892:Hydroxydopamines; D016627:Oxidopamine; D001058:Apomorphine; D004298:Dopamine