ETHANOL INCREASES THE FIRING RATE OF DOPAMINE NEURONS OF THE RAT VENTRAL TEGMENTAL AREA INVITRO
ETHANOL INCREASES THE FIRING RATE OF DOPAMINE NEURONS OF THE RAT VENTRAL TEGMENTAL AREA INVITRO
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DOI：
10.1016/0006-8993(90)91118-z
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发表时间：
1990-01-29
期刊：
影响因子：
2.9
通讯作者：
DUNWIDDIE, TV
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
BRODIE, MS;SHEFNER, SA;DUNWIDDIE, TV
腹侧被盖区（VTA）是富含多巴胺神经元的大脑区域。由于大多数作为自我给药底物的药物会增加中脑边缘或中皮质区域的多巴胺能流出，因此 VTA 切片制剂可能有助于识别可能被滥用的药物。虽然乙醇 (EtOH) 是一种已被广泛研究的滥用药物，但导致其滥用潜力的乙醇特性尚不清楚。我们开发了 VTA 脑切片制剂，以研究乙醇对假定的多巴胺神经元的作用。 20 至 320 mM 浓度的乙醇会对 VTA 的多巴胺型神经元产生剂量依赖性兴奋。大约 89% 的神经元（具有为假定的含多巴胺神经元而建立的电生理学特征）在药理学相关浓度范围内被乙醇兴奋。这种兴奋在低钙、高镁培养基中持续存在，这表明乙醇对 VTA 切片中的多巴胺型细胞有直接兴奋作用。
The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is a brain region rich in dopamine-containing neurons. Since most agents which act as substrates for self-administration increase dopaminergic outflow in the mesolimbic or mesocortical areas, the VTA slice preparation may be useful for identifying drugs with potential for abuse. While ethanol (EtOH) is a drug of abuse which has been widely studied, the properties of ethanol which contribute to its abuse potential are not known. We have developed a brain slice preparation of the VTA in order to study the action of EtOH on putative dopamine neurons. Concentrations of EtOH from 20 to 320 mM produce a dose-dependent excitation of the dopamine-type neurons of the VTA. About 89% of neurons which have electrophysiological characteristics established for presumed dopamine-containing neurons were excited by ethanol in the pharmacologically relevant concentration range. This excitation persists in low-calcium, high-megnesium medium, which suggests a direct excitatory action of EtOH on dopamine-type cells in the VTA slice.