title: Nitric oxide increases dopamine and serotonin release in the medial preoptic area.
abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) is becoming recognized as an important intercellular messenger in the brain. The present experiment used microdialysis to examine the potential role of NO in the regulation of dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) release in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) of freely moving male rats. The NO precursor L-arginine (L-Arg, 100 microM), administered into the MPOA via the dialysis probe, increased extracellular levels of DA, 5-HT, and the major metabolites of DA. These increases were blocked by the coadministration of the NO synthase inhibitor N-monomethyl L-arginine (NMMA, 400 microM). The inactive isomer D-arginine (100 microM) was ineffective, and NMMA by itself decreased DA below baseline levels. Thus, NO may modulate the release of DA and 5-HT in the MPOA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Buffalo 14260.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lorrain
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Hull
mesh_terms: D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine
chemical_list: D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D012701:Serotonin; D001120:Arginine; D004298:Dopamine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid