측좌핵(側坐核)(Nucleus Accumbens Septi) 파괴가 Methamphetamine의 작용에 미치는 영향

Changes in Behavior and the Effect of Chronic-methamphetamine Following Lesions of the Nucleus Accumbens Septi in Rats

The present study was undertaken to elucidate the chracteristics in behavioral changes of chronic doses of methamphetamine on open-field activity in rats. On the other hand, the nucleus accumbens septi(NAB), one of the major areas containing mesolimbic dopaminergic terminals, has been considered to be an important site of action for dopaminergic agonists. Therefore, it also designed to investigated influence of NAB lesions. on behavioral effects of chronic-methamphetamine. Caudal and rostral areas of NAB(cr-NAB) were lesioned by applying DC of 3.0 mA for 15 sec., simultaneously. The results were as follows: 1) The rats exhibited hyperactivity after chronic administration of methamphetamine 2) The cr-NAB-lesioned rats showed a significant increase in locomotor activity only at 2 days after NAB lesions 3) Methamphetamine-induced hyperactivity was significantly decreased in the NAB-lesioned rats, and stereotyped behavior was induced instead by the drug. 4) Dopamine content of striatum was significantly decreased and serotonin content of olfactory bulb was significantly increased in NAB-lesioned rats. These results suggest that NAB plays an important role in locomotor activity and methamphetamine-induced hyperactivity.