title: Neurotensin participates in self-stimulation of the medial prefrontal cortex in the rat.
abstract: The effects of intracerebral microinjections of neurotensin and xenopsin on self-stimulation of the medial prefrontal cortex of the rat were studied. Unilateral microinjections into the medial prefrontal cortex of neurotensin at doses of 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5 and 10 nmol produced a dose-related decrease of self-stimulation in the ipsilateral medial prefrontal cortex. Self-stimulation of the contralateral medial prefrontal contex, used as control, was not affected by the microinjections. Similar results were found with the neurotension-like octapeptide, xenopsin. Unilateral microinjections of xenoposin into the medial prefrontal cortex, at doses of 1.8, 3.6, 7.2 and 14.4 nmol produced a dose-related decrease of self-stimulation of the ipsilateral medial prefrontal cortex. Self-stimulation of the contralateral medial prefrontal cortex was not affected. These results suggest that neurotensin is part of the neurochemical substrate of self-stimulation in this cortical area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ferrer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sabater
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Saez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D008297:Male; D009496:Neurotensin / Q000502:physiology*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D010455:Peptides; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012653:Self Stimulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D029867:Xenopus Proteins
chemical_list: D009842:Oligopeptides; D010455:Peptides; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D009496:Neurotensin; C016832:xenopsin