The contrasting effects of neuroleptics on transmitter release from the nucleus accumbens and corpus striatum

The effects of haloperidol, chlorpromazine and clozapine on transmitter release have been studied by measuring the simultaneous release of dopamine and acetylcholine from tissue slices of nucleus accumbens and striatum in vitro following in vivo drug application, either a single dose or daily for periods of up to 25 days. In the striatum, both single and chronic injections of haloperidol (1 and 2 mg. kg-1) caused a large and significant enhancement (up to 83%) of the K+-evoked release of 3H]acetylcholine synthesized from 3H]choline. In contrast, in the nucleus accumbens, the K+-evoked release of 3H]acetylcholine was not significantly affected by neuroleptics when compared with the controls which received injection of vehicle. Clozapine (50 mg.kg-1) also enhanced the K+-evoked release of 3H]acetylcholine relative to the resting release but the effect was smaller than that with haloperidol or chlorpromazine. The evoked release of preloaded 14C]dopamine from either nucleus accumbens or striatum was unaffected by treatment with haloperidol. However, chlorpromazine (25 mg.kg-1) and clozapine (50 mg.kg-1) significantly enhanced the evoked release of preloaded 14C]dopamine from tissue slices of striatum. A similar but reduced effect of enhancing release was also seen in the nucleus accumbens in response to chlorpromazine. In support of these results, dopamine itself applied in vitro induced an opposite effect to that of the neuroleptics. Thus in the striatum, dopamine (4 x 10(-4) M) markedly reduced the release of 3H]acetylcholine (45%). A smaller inhibition was also seen in the nucleus accumbens (25%).