Stress-induced activation of prefrontal cortex dopamine turnover: blockade by lesions of the amygdala

doi:10.1016/0006-8993(94)91972-0

Brain Research

Volume 664, Issues 1–2, 21 November 1994, Pages 207-210

https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(94)91972-0 Get rights and content

Abstract

Stress consistently has been found to activate peripheral and central catecholamine systems. Dopamine (DA) turnover in the prefrontal cortex is especially sensitive to stress produced by relatively mild footshock, conditioned fear, or exposure to a novel cage. Because lesions of the central nucleus of the amygdala block the effects of both stress and fear in many experimental paradigms, the present study evaluated whether such lesions would block stress-induced increases in prefrontal dopamine turnover using either mild footshock or novelty as stressors. In Experiment 1 electrolytic lesions of the central nucleus of the amygdala attenuated the increase in the dopamine metabolite homovanillic acid (HVA) in the prefrontal cortex evaluated in post-mortem tissue normally produced by footshock. In Expriment 2 similar lesions attenuated the increase in dopamine turnover in the prefrontal cortex using a different stressor, novelty, and a different measure of dopamine turnover, DOPAC/DA ratios. These data provide further evidence for the critical role of the amygdala in stress.

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This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Brain Integration.

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Abstract

References (17)

Induction of the c-fos proto-oncogene in rat amygdala during unconditioned and conditioned fear

Brain Res.

Regulation of A8 dopamine neurons by somatostin

Eur. J. Pharmacol.

Footshock and conditioned stress increase 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in the ventral tegmental area but not substantia nigra

Brain Res.

Stress-induced increase in 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) levels in the cerebral cortex and in n. accumbens: reversal by diazepam

Life Sci.

Recent studies of the central nucleus of the amygdala and stress ulcers

Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev.

Differential effects of inescapable footshocks and of stimuli previously paired with inescapable footshocks on dopamine turnover in cortical and limbic areas of the rat

Life Sci.

Electrophysiological responses of neurons of the ventral tegmental area to electrical stimulation of amygdala and lateral septum

Neuroscience

Organization of amygdaloid projections to brainstem dopaminergic, noradrenergic, and adrenergic cell groups in the rat

Brain Res. Bull.

Cited by (82)

Remediation of chronic immobilization stress-induced negative affective behaviors and altered metabolism of monoamines in the prefrontal cortex by inactivation of basolateral amygdala

Learning abilities

A pilot study into a possible relationship between diet and stuttering

Effect of gender and halothane genotype on cognitive bias and its relationship with fear in pigs

The molecular and systems biology of memory

Stress, neurotransmitters, corticosterone and body-brain integration

Short communicationStress-induced activation of prefrontal cortex dopamine turnover: blockade by lesions of the amygdala

Abstract

Brain Res.

Eur. J. Pharmacol.

Brain Res.

Life Sci.

Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev.

Life Sci.

Neuroscience

Brain Res. Bull.

Short communication
Stress-induced activation of prefrontal cortex dopamine turnover: blockade by lesions of the amygdala