Dopamine agonists and stress produce different patterns of Fos-like immunoreactivity in the lateral habenula.

In rats treated systemically with either amphetamine, amfonelic acid or apomorphine, large numbers of cells displaying Fos-like immunoreactivity (FLI) could be seen in the lateral zone of the lateral habenula. The induction of FLI by amphetamine could be blocked either by pretreatment with haloperidol or by 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of ascending dopamine fibers at the level of the lateral hypothalamus. In contrast, a variety of stressors selectively induced FLI in the most medial portion of the lateral habenula. These findings support the concept of a functional differentiation of the medial and lateral regions of the lateral habenula and provide further evidence for involvement of the habenula in the circuitry of the basal ganglia.