title: Anatomical differentiation within the nucleus accumbens of the locomotor stimulatory actions of selective dopamine agonists and d-amphetamine.
abstract: The effects of local injections of dopamine receptor agonists into various areas within the nucleus accumbens or the medial caudate-putamen on the generation of locomotor activity were examined. Combinations of 0.32 microgram/side of the dopamine receptor agonists SKF 38393 (D1) and quinpirole (D2) produced increases in locomotor activity that varied according to the rostral-caudal placement of the cannulae within the nucleus accumbens. The greatest levels of locomotion were generated by injections into a region in the caudal-central nucleus accumbens, with lower levels of activity elicited by injections into more rostral or caudal regions. A similar pattern of responses was produced by administration of the indirect dopamine agonist d-amphetamine. These results indicate that there is marked heterogeneity in the response of discrete sub-regions of the nucleus accumbens to dopamine receptor stimulation and that this heterogeneity is functionally expressed in the mediation of the locomotor effects of dopaminergic agonists.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104-2649.
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Essman
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McGonigle
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lucki
mesh_terms: D015647:2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004873:Ergolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D019257:Quinpirole; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1 / Q000819:agonists; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000819:agonists
chemical_list: D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D004873:Ergolines; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D019257:Quinpirole; D015647:2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine; D003913:Dextroamphetamine