Expression of neuropeptide Y immunoreactivity in the rat nucleus accumbens is under the influence of the dopaminergic mesencephalic pathway.

The density of neuropeptide Y (NPY) immunostained neurons examined in the rat nucleus accumbens (NAcc) was shown to be constant across the anteroposterior extent of the nucleus and did not present any right-left hemispheric difference. Selective unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesion of the nigral dopaminergic neurons induced, 15 to 21 days later, a bilateral decrease in the NPY neuron density which was, interestingly, more marked in the contralateral than in the ipsilateral NAcc. Dopamine depletion induced by alpha-methylparatyrosine treatment elicited a decrease in NPY neuronal density similar in amplitude to that induced by the 6-OHDA lesion in the ipsilateral NAcc suggesting that similar mechanisms underly both NPY responses. In both experimental conditions, changes in NPY immunostaining were quite homogeneous in the two antero-posterior NAcc portions arbitrarily considered. Apomorphine treatment in animals with 6-OHDA injury completely reversed the ipsilateral lesion effect in the anterior part of the NAcc but only partially the contralateral one. In contrast, no significant effect of apomorphine was observed in either side of the NAcc posterior portion. This data suggests the involvement of at least 2 components in the NPY neuron responses to the lesion. The component reversed by apomorphine treatment was presumed to be directly linked to the DA depletion, while the second component not antagonized by apomorphine was considered independent on DA transmission. These data therefore provide morphological evidence for the occurrence of complex functional interactions between dopaminergic afferents and NPY-containing neurons within the NAcc.