Interactions between agents stimulating and inhibiting the central dopamine receptors and octopamine

Octopamine administered to rats in doses of 50, 100 and 250 microgram into the cerebral ventricles exerted a stimulating effect on the dopaminergic structures in the rat brain as evidenced by the potentiation of amphetamine and apomorphine induced hyperactivity, and potentiation of stereotypy caused by these agents. Octopamine hyperactivity was abolished by spiroperidol (0.1 mg/kg intraperitoneally). In doses of 100 and 250 microgram octopamine also had an anticataleptic effect.