Striatal interaction among dopamine, glutamate and ascorbate

Despite evidence suggesting the interaction among glutamate (GLU), dopamine (DA) and ascorbic acid (AA) in the striatum, their actions are often studied separately. Microdialysis was used here to quantify the extracellular interaction among GLU–DA–AA in the striatum of rats, an interaction which was compared with those studied in the substantia nigra (SN). Perfusion of GLU by reverse microdialysis increased DA and decreased 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in the extracellular medium of the striatum, but increased both DA and DOPAC in the SN. The increase of extracellular DA-concentration induced by the local DA-perfusion decreased the extracellular level of GLU and glutamine, an effect that, as suggested by the GLU and glutamine increase observed after the haloperidol administration, probably involves the D2 dopamine receptor. Local administration of AA increased the extracellular DA, decreased DOPAC and had no effect on GLU and glutamine. Present data suggest that, in the striatum, GLU-release inhibits DA-uptake, DA-release inhibits GLU-release, and AA-release prevents DA-oxidation increasing its extracellular diffusion. These effects were different in the SN where GLU probably promoted the DA-release instead of inhibiting the DA-uptake as presumably occurred in the striatum. Present data denote a marked GLU–DA–AA interaction in the striatum, which might be relevant for the pharmacological control of basal ganglia disorders.

► Glutamate (GLU), dopamine (DA) and ascorbic acid (AA) interact in the striatum.
► GLU decreases DA-uptake. DA decreases GLU-release.
►  AA improves DA-diffusion.
► DA-GLU-AA interactions are different in the striatum and substantia nigra.