title: Mechanics of self-stimulation and dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens.
abstract: Robust self-stimulation can be obtained from electrodes implanted in the medial forebrain bundle. We used in-vivo voltammetry to monitor stimulated dopamine release in the mouse nucleus accumbens during implantation of the stimulating electrodes. The higher the level of stimulated dopamine release during electrode implantation, the lower was the threshold for self-stimulation and the shorter the duration of the stimulation train when it was controlled by animal. We suggest that dopamine release is a reliable indicator of the proximity of the stimulating electrode to the brain reward sites. Inclusion of this indicator solves the problem of large interindividual variation in self-stimulation currents and permits a new approach to studies on mechanisms and pathways involved in brain reward.
authors.affiliation: In Vivo Voltammetry Contract Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland. leonid.yavich@uku.fi
authors.forename: Leonid
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yavich
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanila
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000378:metabolism; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000378:metabolism*; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000378:metabolism; D012201:Reward; D012653:Self Stimulation / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*; D017557:Ventral Tegmental Area / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004298:Dopamine