Effects of aripiprazole and terguride on dopamine synthesis in the dorsal striatum and medial prefrontal cortex of preweanling rats

J Neural Transm (Vienna). 2008;115(1):97-106. doi: 10.1007/s00702-007-0820-7. Epub 2007 Nov 12.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether aripiprazole, a D2-like partial agonist increasingly prescribed to children, alters DA synthesis via actions at autoreceptors in the dorsal striatum and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of preweanling rats. The ability of dopaminergic agents to alter DOPA accumulation in the striatum and mPFC was measured after NSD-1015 on postnatal day (PD) 20. Dopaminergic tone was manipulated by administering reserpine, gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), or through amphetamine withdrawal. Results showed that the partial agonists aripiprazole and terguride increased striatal DOPA accumulation under normosensitive conditions, but decreased DOPA accumulation in states of low dopaminergic tone. A different pattern of results was observed in the mPFC, because terguride and haloperidol, but not aripiprazole, increased DOPA accumulation under normosensitive conditions. In conclusion, the present data show that aripiprazole affects striatal synthesis modulating autoreceptors in an adult-typical manner during the late preweanling period. Unlike in adult rats, however, the mPFC of preweanling rats appears to contain transitory synthesis modulating autoreceptors that are sensitive to drug manipulation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Aripiprazole
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Corpus Striatum / drug effects*
  • Corpus Striatum / metabolism
  • Dopamine / biosynthesis*
  • Dopamine Agonists / pharmacology*
  • Lisuride / analogs & derivatives*
  • Lisuride / pharmacology
  • Piperazines / pharmacology*
  • Prefrontal Cortex / drug effects*
  • Prefrontal Cortex / metabolism
  • Quinolones / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Substances

  • Dopamine Agonists
  • Piperazines
  • Quinolones
  • dironyl
  • Aripiprazole
  • Lisuride
  • Dopamine