Toluene's effects on activity and extracellular dopamine in the mouse are altered by GABA_A antagonism

The abuse of inhalants like toluene continues to be widespread around the world, especially among children and teenagers. Despite its frequency of misuse, the dynamics between dopamine (DA) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in response to toluene exposure remains unclear. To further decipher toluene's actions, we used a dynamic exposure system in combination with microdialysis to examine in vivo the effects of acutely inhaled toluene on DA release within the mouse caudate putamen (CPu). Results show that toluene inhalation produced increases in DA levels and locomotor activity. In mice that were pretreated with the GABA_A antagonist, bicuculline, there was no change in the locomotor response during toluene but activity was potentiated following toluene exposure. Bicuculline pretreatment increased extracellular DA levels during toluene exposure, suggesting that DA and GABA-releasing neuron interaction may play a role in the rewarding properties of toluene.