Locomotor activity stimulation in rats produced by dopamine in the nucleus accumbens: potentiation by caffeine

The increased motor activity of reserpine-nialamide pretreated rats given dopamine into the nucleus accumbens was potentiated in a dose-dependent manner by systemically administered caffeine. Similarly, the increase in motor activity seen when the endogenous dopamine was released by intraperitoneally administered amphetamine was potentiated by systemically given caffeine. These effects might be due to an increase in the dopamine-induced accumulation of cyclic AMP in the nucleus accumbens after inhibition of the phosphodiesterase by caffeine.