Neurotransmitters contained in the efferents of the striatum

The transmitters contained in the efferent projections of the striatum were studied by producing two types of lesions: coronal hemitransections just anterior to the globus pallidus, and semi-circular knife cuts that isolated a considerable portion of the globus pallidus from the striatum to produce 'GP islands'. The levels of substance P and Met-enkephalin in the globus pallidus, entopeduncular nucleus and substantia nigra were measured after these lesions. For comparison, the effect of these lesions on glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and choline acetyltransferase (CAT) in some of these projection areas of the striatum was assessed. Both lesions caused similar reductions in substance P levels in each of the three striatal projection areas. In contrast, hemitransections reduced Met-enkephalin levels only in the globus pallidus. Both lesions reduced pallidal and entopeduncular GAD activity while nigral GAD activity was reduced only by the hemitransections. CAT activity was reduced in the globus pallidus by both lesions but was unaltered in the entopeduncular nucleus. However, additional experiments ruled out the existence of a striato-pallidal cholinergic projection. GAD activity and Met-enkephalin levels were significantly increased in the striatum anterior to the lesions. In contrast, CAT activity and substance P levels did not change in this region. The results support and broaden emerging view of the organization of the neurons containing the various transmitter candidates of the efferent projections of the striatum.