Adrenergic receptors in the nucleus accumbens shell differentially modulate dopamine and acetylcholine receptor-mediated turning behaviour

The role of α- and β-adrenoceptors in the nucleus accumbens shell in turning behaviour of rats was investigated. Unilateral injections of the α-adrenoceptor agonist (phenylephrine; 10 μg) and antagonist (phentolamine; 10 μg) as well as the β-adrenoceptor agonist (isoprenaline; 1 μg) and antagonist (propranolol; 5 μg) into the nucleus accumbens shell did not produce turning behaviour more than that of control vehicle injection. Unilateral injection of a mixture of dopamine D1 ((±)-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine-7,8-diol, SKF 38393; 5 μg) and D2 (quinpirole; 10 μg) receptor agonists into the nucleus accumbens shell has been found to elicit contraversive pivoting. Such pivoting was dose-dependently inhibited by phenylephrine (5, 10 μg), injected into the nucleus accumbens shell, and the inhibitory effect of phenylephrine (10 μg) was antagonised by phentolamine (10 μg) that per se had no effect on this pivoting. Isoprenaline (0.5, 1 μg) dose-dependently increased the contraversive pivoting induced by the mixture of SKF 38393 (1 μg) and quinpirole (10 μg) injected into the nucleus accumbens shell. The effect of isoprenaline (1 μg) was antagonised by propranolol (5 μg) that per se had no effect on this pivoting. It is concluded that stimulation of accumbal α-adrenoceptors inhibits the dopamine-dependent pivoting in contrast to stimulation of accumbal β-adrenoceptors that facilitates this dopamine-dependent pivoting. Unilateral injection of the acetylcholine receptor agonist carbachol (5 μg) into the nucleus accumbens shell has been found to elicit contraversive circling. Such circling was significantly reduced by accumbal administration of either phenylephrine (10, 20 μg) or phentolamine (5, 10 μg) in a dose-independent manner; moreover, both drugs potentiated, but did not counteract, each other's effects. Carbachol-induced circling was also reduced by propranolol (2.5, 5 μg), but again in an aspecific manner. It is concluded that α- and β-adrenergic agents have an effect on accumbal acetylcholine receptor-mediated circling through a non-adrenergic mechanism. The impact of the present study for putative new treatments of various neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders is discussed.