Elsevier

Neuroscience Letters

Volume 103, Issue 2, 28 August 1989, Pages 213-218
Neuroscience Letters

Microinjection of a glutamate antagonist into the nucleus accumbens reduces psychostimulant locomotion in rats

https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3940(89)90578-8Get rights and content

Abstract

In order to study a possible modulatory effect of glutamatergic afferents to the nucleus accumbens (NAC) on psychostimulant-induced locomotion, l-glutamic acid diethyl ester (GDEE), a glutamate antagonist, was injected in the NAC of rats acutely treated with cocaine, amphetamine or caffeine. GDEE at the doses of 5, 10, and 20 μg/side significantly reduced locomotion induced by cocaine (20 mg/kg, i.p.). Amphetamine-induced hyperactivity was also reduced by GDEE, whereas caffeine-induced hyperactivity was not significantly decreased by GDEE. This suggests that glutamatergic afferents to the NAC modulate the effects of psychostimulants and also dopamine function in the mesolimbic system.

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Visiting scientist from: 3rd Dept. of Neurology, University of Pavia, Italy.

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