Stimulation by nicotine of the spontaneous release of [3H]γ-aminobutyric acid in the substantia nigra and in the globus pallidus of the rat

doi:10.1016/0006-8993(94)91056-1

Brain Research

Volume 649, Issues 1–2, 27 June 1994, Pages 129-135

https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(94)91056-1 Get rights and content

Abstract

The effect of (−)-nicotine on the spontaneous release of [³H]γ-aminobutyric acid ([³H]GABA) was studied in vitro in rat substantia nigra (SN) and globus pallidus (GP) slices. In both structures, nicotine (10⁻⁴ M) elicited a transient increase of [³H]GABA release lasting no more than 2.5 min. At the peak of the effect, a 18.5% and 25% increase of [³H]GABA was observed in GP and SN slices, respectively. At lower concentration (10⁻⁵ M), nicotine produced a small but significant transient increase (+8%) in GP slices whereas this concentration was ineffective in SN slices. Pempidine (10⁻⁵ M) totally antagonized the 10⁻⁴ M nicotine-induced effect in SN and GP. The increase of [³H]GABA release elicited by 10⁻⁴ M nicotine was abolished when Ca²⁺ concentration in the superfusion medium was lowered from 2.4 to 0.4 mM. To investigate a possible dopaminergic (DA) link in the response, we examined the sensitivity of the nicotine-induced effect to DA D₁ (SCH23390) and D₂ (sulpiride) receptor antagonists. In SN, SCH23390 (10⁻⁶ M) abolished the 10⁻⁴ M nicotine-induced effect. In GP, sulpiride (10⁻⁵ M) failed to modify the response. Moreover, SCH23390 partially reversed the nicotine-induced effect (−37%) in GP. Taken together these results indicate that nicotine differentially modulate the [³H]GABA release in SN and GP. In SN, the nicotine-induced [³H]GABA release appears to be mediated by DA neurons. IN GP, only a part of the nicotinic response involved a DA link. A possible direct stimulation of nicotinic receptors localized on striato-pallidal terminals is discussed.

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Stimulation by nicotine of the spontaneous release of [3H]γ-aminobutyric acid in the substantia nigra and in the globus pallidus of the rat

Abstract

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Phenotypical characterization of the rat striatal neurons expressing muscarinic receptor genes

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Quantitative autoradiographic localization of the D1 and D2 subtypes of dopamine receptors in rat brain

J. Neurosci.

Stimulation by nicotine of the spontaneous release of [³H]γ-aminobutyric acid in the substantia nigra and in the globus pallidus of the rat