Apomorphine in the rat nucleus accumbens: effects on the synthesis of 5-hydroxytryptamine and noradrenaline, the motor activity and the body temperature.

Apomorphine (10 mug) was injected bilaterally into the nucleus accumbens or the neostriatum of rats. The application of apomorphine to the nucleus accumbens, but not to the neostriatum, enhanced the accumulation of 5-hydroxytryptophan in the central nervous system following inhibition of the aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase. The effect was greatest in the brain stem particularly in the pons plus medulla oblongata. Similar but smaller rises were observed for the accumulation of DOPA in noradrenalinerich regions. The motor activity was increased and the body temperature was decreased by apomorphine in the nucleus accumbens, whereas smaller or no effects were obtained from the neostriatum.