Elsevier

Neuroscience

Volume 141, Issue 4, 2006, Pages 2007-2018
Neuroscience

Neuroanatomy
The distribution of dopamine D1 receptor and μ-opioid receptor 1 receptor immunoreactivities in the amygdala and interstitial nucleus of the posterior limb of the anterior commissure: Relationships to tyrosine hydroxylase and opioid peptide terminal systems

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2006.05.054Get rights and content

Abstract

Mismatches between dopamine innervation and dopamine D1 receptor (D1) distribution have previously been demonstrated in the intercalated cell masses of the rat amygdala. Here the distribution of enkephalin and β-endorphin immunoreactive (IR) nerve terminals with respect to their μ-opioid receptors is examined in the intercalated cell masses, along with a further immunohistochemical analysis of the dopamine/D1 mismatches. A similar analysis is also made within the extended amygdala.

A spatial mismatch in distribution patterns was found between the μ-opioid receptor-1 immunoreactivity and enkephalin IR in the main intercalated island of the amygdala. Discrete cell patches of dopamine D1 receptor and μ-opioid receptor-1 IR were also identified in a distinct region of the extended amygdala, the interstitial nucleus of the posterior limb of the anterior commissure, medial division (IPACM), which displayed sparse tyrosine hydroxylase or enkephalin/β-endorphin IR nerve terminals. Furthermore, distinct regions of the main intercalated island that showed dopamine/D1 receptor matches (the rostral and rostrolateral parts) were associated with strong dopamine and cyclic AMP regulated phosphoprotein, 32 kDa-IR in several D1 IR neuronal cell bodies and dendrites, whereas this was not the case for the dopamine/D1 mismatch areas (the rostromedial and caudal parts) of the main intercalated island.

The lack of correlation between the terminal/receptor distribution patterns suggests a role for volume transmission for μ-opioid receptor- and dopamine D1 receptor-mediated transmission in distinct regions of the amygdala and extended amygdala. This may have implications for amygdaloid function, where slow long lasting responses may develop as a result of volume transmission operating in opioid peptide and dopaminergic communication.

Section snippets

Tissue preparation

All animal experiments were carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Canadian Council on Animal Care Guide (Policy 31, 1993), the Animals for Research Act (R.S.O., 1990, c.22) and the National Institutes of Health Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (NIH Publication No. 80–23, revised 1996). All efforts were made to minimize the number of animals used and their suffering. Sprague–Dawley rats (n=6: Charles River, Wilmington, MA, USA) were anesthetized with sodium

Results

The architecture of the regions examined is schematically shown in Fig. 1, adapted from the atlas of Paxinos and Watson (1997). Note that rostro-caudally, these regions span up to 5 mm in the rat brain.

Mismatches in dopamine and opioid peptide systems

The present findings demonstrate transmitter–receptor mismatches in the MOR mediated ENK and β-endorphin transmission in distinct subregions of the amygdala and the extended amygdala. Furthermore, the present findings confirm and extend previous observations regarding such mismatches in dopaminergic neuronal systems in the amygdala (Fuxe et al., 2003).

The neurotransmitter–receptor mismatch phenomena have previously been extensively discussed and analyzed (Agnati et al 1986, Fuxe and Agnati 1991

Acknowledgments

Authors were supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and by a grant from the Swedish Research Council.

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