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Ascorbic acid does not modulate stimulated dopamine release: in vivo voltammetric data in the rat
Neuroscience Letters
|October 10, 1985
Summary
This study found that ascorbate does not affect dopamine release in rat striatum. Metoclopramide increased dopamine release, while apomorphine decreased it, with these effects being independent of ascorbate levels.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Neurochemistry
Background:
- The nigrostriatal pathway is crucial for motor control, with dopamine (DA) as its primary neurotransmitter.
- Presynaptic autoreceptors regulate DA release, but the role of ascorbate in this modulation is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of ascorbate on dopamine release in the rat striatum.
- To determine if ascorbate influences presynaptic autoreceptors modulating dopamine release.
Main Methods:
- Electrical stimulation of the nigrostriatal pathway in anesthetized rats.
- Measurement of dopamine release using high-speed cyclic voltammetry.
- Administration of metoclopramide, apomorphine, and ascorbate to assess their effects on dopamine release.
Main Results:
- Metoclopramide (10 mg/kg) enhanced stimulated DA release by ~20%.
- Apomorphine (1.76 mg/kg) reduced DA release by ~40%, an effect blocked by metoclopramide.
- Ascorbate (1.76 g/kg) did not alter stimulated DA release, even when striatal levels were significantly increased.
Conclusions:
- Ascorbate does not modulate dopamine release in the rat striatum in vivo.
- Ascorbate does not appear to interact with presynaptic autoreceptors controlling dopamine release.