Increased amphetamine-induced locomotion during inactivation of the basolateral amygdala

doi:10.1016/S0166-4328(03)00212-2

Behavioural Brain Research

Volume 149, Issue 1, 4 February 2004, Pages 33-39

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0166-4328(03)00212-2 Get rights and content

Abstract

At low doses, amphetamine has been shown to produce reliable increases in locomotor activity through its actions on the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) terminals in the nucleus accumbens (NAC). The basolateral amygdala (BLA) has recently been reported to have anatomical projections to the NAC, suggesting that it might serve to alter or modulate the function of the NAC. To test this hypothesis, the current experiment produced lidocaine-reversible lesions of the BLA and assessed changes in NAC function by examining alterations in locomotor activity in response to s.c. amphetamine (2 mg/kg). While BLA inactivation alone was found to have no effect on spontaneous or basal locomotor activity, it produced a significant potentiation of amphetamine-induced hyperactivity. These results suggest that BLA inactivation removes a system that inhibits the locomotor response to amphetamine. The data are, therefore, consistent with the view that the BLA may serve to modulate NAC function.

Section snippets

Subjects

Twenty-five male albino Sprague–Dawley rats (Charles River Laboratories, Wilmington, MA), weighing between 300 and 325 g, were individually housed in plastic tub cages (with paper shavings as bedding). The cages were located within a temperature-controlled (23 °C ) vivarium on a 12 h/12 h dark/light cycle (lights on at 07:00 h). Subjects had ad libitum access to food (Purina Rat Chow) and water throughout the course of the experiment. Each animal was gentled through handling for approximately 15 min

Results

Fig. 1 illustrates the range of cannula placements and confirms the BLA as the target site for the lidocaine infusions. Fig. 2 depicts the effect of inactivation of the BLA (IC lidocaine injections) on spontaneous locomotor activity. A two-way (Time×Group) ANOVA (using Time as a repeated measure) performed on the data from Fig. 2 confirmed the absence of any Group effect (F(1,17)=3.077, P>0.05), nor a Group×Time interaction (F(5,85)=0.301, P>0.05). The analysis revealed a significant effect of

Discussion

The data from the current experiment show that while a temporary lesion of the BLA had no effect on spontaneous locomotor activity, it enhanced the locomotor response to amphetamine. Other researchers have found similar results with BLA lesions differentially affecting spontaneous versus novelty- or amphetamine-induced locomotor activity. In results that parallel those of the present experiment, 6-OHDA lesions of the BLA had no effect on spontaneous locomotor activity, whereas the same lesions

Acknowledgements

Support for this study was provided by an NIDA grant DA-05041 awarded to A.E. The author would like to thank Drs. Mary Raven and Osnat Ben-Shahar for their invaluable advice and guidance, and Aaron Kornblith, Rhasson Ager, and Rick Bernardi for their assistance in the testing of subjects. Special thanks to Stephanie Richardson for her help with the histological analyses and to Dr. Wayne Brake for comments on an earlier version of this manuscript.

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Research reportIncreased amphetamine-induced locomotion during inactivation of the basolateral amygdala

Abstract

Section snippets

Subjects

Results

Discussion

Acknowledgements

Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev.

Behav. Brain Res.

Brain Res.

Neuroscience

Neuroscience

Eur. J. Pharmacol.

Brain Res.

Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry

J. Neurosci. Methods

Brain Res.

Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav.

Neurosci. Lett.

Behav. Brain Res.

Neuropsychopharmacology

Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav.

Brain Res.

Neuroscience

J. Neurosci. Methods

Eur. J. Pharmacol.

Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav.

Trends in Pharmacol. Sci.

Brain Res.

The effects of excitotoxic lesions of the basolateral amygdala on the acquisition of heroin-seeking behavior in rats

Psychopharmacology

Effect of dietary lipid on locomotor activity and response to psychomotor stimulants

Psychopharmacology

Research report
Increased amphetamine-induced locomotion during inactivation of the basolateral amygdala