Increases in dopamine metabolism are not a general feature of intracranial self-stimulation

Rats with electrodes implanted in the ventral tegmentum and posterior hypothalamus were trained to press a lever to obtain electrical stimulation through the electrodes. Stimulation in animals with ventral tegmental electrodes led to an increased concentration of homovanillic acid and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid in the forebrain of the animals. Stimulation in the posterior hypothalamus did not result in such raised concentrations in spite of the fact that the behaviour from the two sites was indistinguishable. Responding in the posterior hypothalamus was reduced by doses of neuroleptic drug similar to those reported to reduce responding in the ventral tegmental area.