The hypomotility elicited by small doses of apomorphine seems exclusively mediated by dopaminergic systems in the nucleus accumbens

Abstract

The reduction of motor activity elicited in rats by a subcutaneous injection of a small dose of apomorphine was reversed by pretreatment of the nucleus accumbens with haloperidol (10 pg), sulpride (10 pg) or desenkephalin-γ-endorphin (DEγE) (100 pg or 10 ng). These doses of the compounds did not change motor activity in placebo-treated rats. Pretreatment of the nucleus caudatus with the same neuroleptics or DEγE did not diminish the effect of subcutaneously administered low doses of apomorphine. A small dose of apomorphine decreased motor activity when it was injected directly into the nucleus accumbens. This effect was dose dependently antagonized by subcutaneous pretreatment with DEγE. It is suggested that the hypoactivity elicited by small doses of apomorphine is exclusively mediated by dopaminergic systems in the nucleus accumbens.