6-Hydroxydopamine lesion of the rat prefrontal cortex impairs motor initiation but not motor execution.
We examined the effects of bilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions of the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) in rats on motor initiation and execution in a simple reaction time task. Reaction times (RT) and movement times (MT) were measured in trained rats on four pre- and postoperative days. Animals with 6-OHDA lesions were selectively impaired on motor initiation as measured by a significant increase in RT on each postoperative day. Motor execution was intact postoperatively, since MT was not altered. Neurochemical analysis revealed a significant depletion of prefrontal dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NA) in lesioned animals. It was concluded that DA and, to a lesser extent, NA in the rat PFC were involved in monitoring RT performance.
Hauber
W
W
Department of Animal Physiology, Biological Institute, University of Stuttgart, Germany.
Bubser
M
M
Schmidt
W J
WJ
D000818:Animals; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D016627:Oxidopamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects
D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D016627:Oxidopamine; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine