TABLE 1. Biochemical pharmacology of central dopamine neuronsa,b
 

N-STR

M-ACC

M-PFR

M-PIR

M-AMY

TINF

THYP

IHYP

OLF-B

RETN

Perikarya location:

A9 > A8 > A10

A10 > A8 > A9

A10

A9 > A8

A8, A9, A10

A12

A12

A11, A13, A14

A16

A17

Efferent fiber length:

Long

Long

Long

Long

Long

Interm.

Interm.

Interm. and

long

Short

Short

Possible functions:

Motor

Reward,

emotion

Cognition

Cognition

Integration

of sensory

stimuli

Pituitary

hormone

release

Pituitary

hormone

release

Pituitary

hormone

release

Olfaction

Light/dark

adaptation

High-affinity DA uptake:

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No ?

No

No

Yes

No

Yes

6-OHDA sensitivity:

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Low

No

No

Yes

?

Yes

Synthesis-modulating

autoreceptor:

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

Yes/no

(mixed)c

Yes

?

Yes

Tyrosine dependency-

basal:

No

No

Yes

?

?

?

?

?

?

No

Tyrosine dependency-

activated:

Yes

Yes

Yes

?

Yes

?

?

?

?

Yes

Response to agonist

(decrease in DA

synthesis,

catabolism, turnover):

Yes

Yes

Yes

(small)

Yes

Yes

Yes

(delayed)

Yes

Yes

?

Yes

Response to antagonist

(increase DA synthesis,

catabolism, turnover):

Yes

Yes

Yes

(small)

Yes

Yes

Yes

(delayed)

Yes

Yes

?

Yes

Tolerance to chronic

typical

neuroleptic:

Marked

Yes

Less

?

Yes/no

(mixed)c

No

No

?

?

Less

Response to mild stress

(BZ-sensitive, increase

in synthesis and

metabolism):

No

Yes

(shell)

Yes

No

Yes/no

(mixed)c

No

No

?

?

?

Response to beta

cabolines

(increase in DA

catabolism):

No

No (core)

Yes

(shell)

Yes

No

No

?

?

?

?

?

Psychostimulant

sensitization

(augmentation of DA

release):

Moderate

High

Low

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

Cocaine withdrawal

(decrease in Bmax for

transporter):

No

?

Yes

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

a For references, see citations in text; also see refs. 10 and 35.

b Abbreviations: N-STR, nigrostriatal; M-ACC, mesoaccumbens; M-PRF, mesoprefrontal; M-PIR, mesopiriform; M-AMY, mesoamygdaloid; TINF, tuberoinfundibular; THYP, tuberohypophyseal; IHYP, incertohypothalamic; OLF-B, olfactory bulb; RETN, retina; interm., intermediate.

c Mixed indicates that the response differs within the category, depending on the neuronal subset examined.

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published 2000