Inhibition of d-amphetamine-induced locomotor activity by injection of haloperidol into the nucleus accumbens of the rat

• Published in: Psychopharmacologia Vol. 41; no. 2; p. 87
• Main Authors: Pijnenburg, A J, Honig, W M, Van Rossum, J M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 1975
• Subjects: Animals; Caudate Nucleus - physiology; Depression, Chemical; Dextroamphetamine - antagonists & inhibitors; Dextroamphetamine - pharmacology; Dopamine Antagonists; Haloperidol - administration & dosage; Haloperidol - pharmacology; Injections; Male; Motor Activity - drug effects; Norepinephrine - antagonists & inhibitors; Olfactory Bulb - physiology; Phentolamine - pharmacology; Propranolol - pharmacology; Rats; Stereotaxic Techniques; Time Factors
• DOI: 10.1007/BF00421062

The effect of intracerebral administraton of antagonists of dopamine and noradrenaline upon the locomotor stimulation induced by intraperitoneal injection of d-amphetamine sulfate in rats was investigated. Inj ection of low doses of the dopamine antagonist haloperidol (2.5 mug and 5 mug) bilaterally into the nucleus accumbens antagonized the locomotor stimulation following d-amphetamine. No significant inhibition was observed following administration of the alpha-adrenergic antagonist phentolamine or thhe beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol into the nucleus accumbens. Injection of the dame doses of haloperidol into the caudate nucleus did not inhibit the d-amphetamine induced locomotor activity in contrast to the effects seen following injection into the nucleus accumbens. The results confirm the significance of dopaminergic mechanisms for the locomotor stimulant effect of d-amphetamine and indicate that the mesolimbic dopamine system plays an important role in this respect.