Dopamine-GABA interactions in the nucleus accumbens and lateral septum of the rat (original) (raw)

The relationships between dopaminergic afferents and GABAergic neurones were studied at the electron microscopic level in the rat lateral septum and nucleus accumbens by coupling 6-hydroxydopamine degeneration and y-aminobutyric acid (GABA) immunocytochemistry. Degenerating fibres were observed in the two regions making synaptic contact with GABA-immunoreactive and nonlabelled cell bodies and dendrites. It is concluded that dopaminergic afferents to the septum and the nucleus accumbens contact, among others, a population of GABAergic cells. A similar route of regulation of the basalo-cortical and septo-hippocampal cholinergic pathways by dopaminergic afferents is proposed.