Abstract
This study assessed the possible influence of the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) on the response of subcortical dopamine (DA) systems to subchronic, mild stress. DA and its metabolites as well as noradrenaline were assayed in the nucleus accumbens and corpus striatum, 1 and 7 days after one week of daily intraperitoneal saline injections (Stress) or no handling (NO stress), in rats with sham (Sham) or ibotenic acid (IA) lesions of the MPFC. One day after the last saline injection the level of dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) was elevated in the nucleus accumbens of IA/Stress rats in comparison to the Sham/No stress, Sham/Stress, and IA/No Stress groups. Levels of mesolimbic DA, DOPAC and homovanillic acid were still elevated 7 days after the last injection in IA/Stress animals in comparison to all other groups. There were no other significant differences between the groups. The data suggest that in rats with MPFC impairment, mild subchronic stress can induce alterations in mesolimbic DA activity that persist beyond the duration of the stress.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 321-323 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | Brain research |
Volume | 534 |
Issue number | 1-2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 26 1990 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid
- Ibotenic acid
- Nucleus accumbens
- Prefrontal cortex
- Stress
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Clinical Neurology
- Developmental Biology