Central integration of cardiovascular and drinking responses elicited by central administration of angiotensin II: divergence of regulation by the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens

Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
D L Jones

Abstract

Previous studies had implicated the involvement of the ventral tegmental area and its dopamine projections to the nucleus accumbens in goal-directed behavior. This study investigated whether or not the GABAergic inputs to the ventral tegmental area and, in turn, dopaminergic input to the nucleus accumbens from the ventral tegmental area modify drinking and cardiovascular responses elicited by central administration of angiotensin II. Injections of 25 ng of angiotensin II into a lateral cerebral ventricle of the rat elicited water intakes averaging 7-8 mL in 15 min with latencies usually less than 3 min. Pretreatment of the nucleus accumbens with spiperone, a dopamine antagonist, or the ventral tegmental area with gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) produced dose-dependent reductions in water intake and number of laps taken while increasing the latency to drink. The spiperone injection did not alter the pressor response. On the other hand, the GABA injections attenuated the pressor responses to central angiotensin II administration. These findings suggest that GABA input to the ventral tegmental area modifies both the cardiovascular and drinking responses elicited following central administration of angiotensin II. However, the dopa...Continue Reading

Citations

Aug 1, 1990·Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior·D L Jones, S Lo
Jan 1, 1993·Brain Research Bulletin·D J Calcagnetti, M D Schechter
Sep 12, 2015·Synapse·Masoumeh HatamAli Nasimi

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