Acetylcholine release detected by trans-striatal dialysis in freely moving rats correlates with spontaneous motor activity.

In vivo acetylcholine (ACh) release from the anterior, middle, or posterior striatum and the level of spontaneous motor activity were determined simultaneously using trans-striatal dialysis in freely moving rats. Spontaneous ACh release from the middle striatum was higher than from either the anterior or posterior striatum and correlated with the level of spontaneous motor activity. These findings indicate that drug-induced striatal ACh release could be modified by changes of the level of motor activity in freely moving rats.