Frontal decortication eliminates drug-induced ascorbic acid release in the striatum but not the nucleus accumbens of freely moving rats.
The mechanism of morphine-, methamphetamine-, and nicotine-induced ascorbic acid (AA) release in the striatum and nucleus accumbens (NAc) is not well understood. In the present study, the roles of the corticostriatal and corticoaccumbens pathways in drug-induced AA release were studied by using microdialysis coupled to high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD). The results showed that morphine (20 mg/kg), methamphetamine (3.0 mg/kg), or nicotine (1.5 mg/kg) intraperitoneally (i.p.) significantly stimulated AA release in the striatum to more than 180%, 190%, and 140% compared with saline groups, respectively. These effects could be completely eliminated by frontal decortication, or antagonized by MK-801 (1.0 mg/kg). Moreover, methamphetamine or nicotine also significantly induced AA release in the NAc to more than 180% and 150% compared with saline groups, respectively. However, these effects could not be eliminated by frontal decortication. Although the effects of methamphetamine or nicotine in the NAc could be antagonized by MK-801, two-way ANOVA analysis did not show a significantly interaction between MK-801 and methamphetamine, or nicotine. The results indicates that the corticostriatal glutamatergic pathway may be a common and necessary pathway in drug-induced AA release in the striatum, but the corticoaccumbens glutamatergic pathway may not be crucial in drug-induced AA release in the NAc. The present study implies that different mechanisms might be involved in drug-induced AA release in the striatum and the NAc in rats.
Gu
Pei Fei
PF
Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Wenhau Road 103, 110016 Shenyang, P. R. China.
Yang
Jing Yu
JY
Wu
Chun Fu
CF
Li
Wei
W
Shang
Yu
Y
D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D002541:Cerebral Decortication / Q000379:methods*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D009538:Nicotine; D001205:Ascorbic Acid