The effect of long-term ethanol treatment on the sensitivity of the dopamine receptors in the nucleus accumbens
- 1 January 1976
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Nature in Psychopharmacology
- Vol. 49 (3), 253-257
- https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00426825
Abstract
The effect of local application of dopamine into the nucleus accumbens on locomotor activity was studied in rats during and after withdrawal of long-term ethanol treatment. The bilateral application of dopamine into the nucleus accumbens of both the ethanol and withdrawal rats produced a pronounced increase in coordinated locomotor activity, which was 8–10 times higher than that of untreated water control rats. This effect of dopamine was antagonized by intraperitoneally administered haloperidol indicating a specific effect on dopamine receptors. It is concluded that prolonged ethanol administration may produce an increased sensitivity of the dopamine receptors in the nucleus accumbens and further support the contention that central catecholamine mechanisms are involved in the mediation of the withdrawal syndrome observed after longterm treatment with ethanol.Keywords
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