In vivo assessment of striatal dopamine release in the aged male Fischer 344 rat

A microdialysis probe was implanted into the striatum of young (4- to 5-month-old) and aged (26- to 27-month-old) Fischer 344 male rats to assess age-related alterations in striatal dopamine (DA) release. Basal levels of DA and the magnitude of DA response evoked by 50 mM and 100 mM high potassium (K+) in aged rats were similar to those in young rats. Furthermore, K(+)-evoked DA release did not correlate with motor performance within either age group. In contrast, amphetamine (250 microM) evoked-DA release of aged rats was significantly lower than that of young rats. Moreover, the enhancement of K(+)-evoked DA release by oxotremorine (500 microM) was significantly attenuated in aged rats. These results indicate that a putative DA release mechanism and its cholinergic modulation of the aged striatum are impaired.