Role of orexin receptors in the nucleus accumbens in dopamine-dependent turning behaviour of rats

The role of orexin receptors in the nucleus accumbens shell in rat turning behaviour of rats was studied. Unilateral injection of neither the orexin 1 and 2 receptor agonist orexin A (2 μg) nor the orexin 1 receptor antagonist SB 334867 (20 ng) into the nucleus accumbens shell elicited turning behaviour. Unilateral injection of a mixture of dopamine D1 (SKF 38393) and D2 (quinpirole) receptor agonists into the nucleus accumbens shell has been found to elicit contraversive pivoting. Orexin A (1 and 2 μg) dose-dependently potentiated the contraversive pivoting induced by a mixture of SKF 38393 (1 μg) and quinpirole (10 μg) injected into the nucleus accumbens shell whereas SB 334867 (10 and 20 ng) did not significantly affect the pivoting. The potentiating effect of orexin A (2 μg) on the dopaminergic pivoting was not significantly inhibited by SB 334867 (10 and 20 ng) injected into the nucleus accumbens shell. The contraversive pivoting induced by a mixture of SKF 38393 (1 μg) and quinpirole (10 μg) injected into the nucleus accumbens shell was also potentiated by the orexin 2 receptor agonist orexin B (0.5, 1 and 2 μg), which alone did not elicit turning behaviour. These results suggest that orexin 2 receptors in the nucleus accumbens shell play a modulatory role in rat turning behaviour.