Endogenous serotonin release from the dopamine-deficient striatum of the weaver mutant mouse

In addition to an altered dopaminergic input, the striatum of the weaver mutant mouse (wv/wv) has increased serotonin tissue content and uptake compared to the wild-type mouse (+/+). To gain information regarding the functional status of serotonergic inputs to the wv/wv striatum, endogenous serotonin release from wv/wv and +/+ striatum was measured under basal conditions as well as in the presence of fenfluramine or elevated concentrations of potassium (K+). Fractional basal release of serotonin from the +/+ striatum was significantly greater than that from the wv/wv striatum. In the presence of K+, evoked release (stimulated release minus basal release) was greater from the +/+ striatum than from the wv/wv striatum. In the presence of fenfluramine, evoked serotonin release was greater from the wv/wv striatum compared to the +/+ striatum. These data are consistent with the involvement of an additional transmitter(s) in modulating serotonin release to a greater extent in the wv/wv than the +/+ striatum. The data on fenfluramine-stimulated serotonin release suggest that the additional serotonin content found in the wv/wv striatum is in a releasable pool but that striatal serotonin release might be attenuated more in wv/wv than in +/+ mice.