Effect of apomorphine on cognitive performance and sensorimotor gating in humans

Contains fulltext : 88792.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)INTRODUCTION: Dysfunction of brain dopamine systems is involved in various neuropsychiatric disorders. Challenge studies with dopamine receptor agonists have been performed to assess dopamine receptor functioning, classically using the release of growth hormone (GH) from the hindbrain as primary outcome measure. The objective of the current study was to assess dopamine receptor functioning at the forebrain level. METHODS: Fifteen healthy male volunteers received apomorphine sublingually (2 mg), subcutaneously (0.005 mg/kg), and placebo in a balanced, double-blind, cross-over design. Outcome measures were plasma GH levels, performance on an AX continuous performance test, and prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle. The relation between central outcome measures and apomorphine levels observed in plasma and calculated in the brain was modeled using a two-compartmental pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic analysis. RESULTS: After administration of apomorphine, plasma GH increased and performance on the AX continuous performance test deteriorated, particularly in participants with low baseline performance. Apomorphine disrupted prepulse inhibition (PPI) on high-intensity (85 dB) prepulse trials and improved PPI on low intensity (75 dB) prepulse trials, particularly in participants with low baseline PPI. High cognitive performance at baseline was associated with reduced baseline sensorimotor gating. Neurophysiological measures correlated best with calculated brain apomorphine levels after subcutaneous administration. CONCLUSION: The apomorphine challenge test appears a useful tool to assess dopamine receptor functioning at the forebrain level. Modulation of the effect of apomorphine by baseline performance levels may be explained by an inverted U-shape relation between prefrontal dopamine functioning and cognitive performance, and mesolimbic dopamine functioning and sensorimotor gating. Future apomorphine challenge tests preferentially use multiple outcome measures, after subcutaneous administration of apomorphine.1 januari 201

Effort-related functions of nucleus accumbens dopamine and associated forebrain circuits

Background Over the last several years, it has become apparent that there are critical problems with the hypothesis that brain dopamine (DA) systems, particularly in the nucleus accumbens, directly mediate the rewarding or primary motivational characteristics of natural stimuli such as food. Hypotheses related to DA function are undergoing a substantial restructuring, such that the classic emphasis on hedonia and primary reward is giving way to diverse lines of research that focus on aspects of instrumental learning, reward prediction, incentive motivation, and behavioral activation. Objective The present review discusses dopaminergic involvement in behavioral activation and, in particular, emphasizes the effort-related functions of nucleus accumbens DA and associated forebrain circuitry. Results The effects of accumbens DA depletions on food-seeking behavior are critically dependent upon the work requirements of the task. Lever pressing schedules that have minimal work requirements are largely unaffected by accumbens DA depletions, whereas reinforcement schedules that have high work (e.g., ratio) requirements are substantially impaired by accumbens DA depletions. Moreover, interference with accumbens DA transmission exerts a powerful influence over effort-related decision making. Rats with accumbens DA depletions reallocate their instrumental behavior away from food-reinforced tasks that have high response requirements, and instead, these rats select a less-effortful type of food-seeking behavior. Conclusions Along with prefrontal cortex and the amygdala, nucleus accumbens is a component of the brain circuitry regulating effort-related functions. Studies of the brain systems regulating effort-based processes may have implications for understanding drug abuse, as well as energy-related disorders such as psychomotor slowing, fatigue, or anergia in depression

Day and night locomotor activity effects during administration of (+)-amphetamine.

Rats were given continuous subcutaneous amphetamine infusions (0, 2, 6, 10 and 20 mg/kg/day) via osmotic minipumps. The effects of these treatments on the locomotor activity of rats were determined over both light and dark phases of a 12-hr light/dark cycle for 336 consecutive hours. It was observed that tolerance to the locomotor stimulant actions of (+)-amphetamine is both dose- and light/dark cycle-dependent. Locomotor stimulation induced by the two highest doses remained high during both day and night throughout the period of treatment, except for the first few days and nights with the highest dose. Tolerance developed only to the effects of the two lower doses, and only during the day. Effects of the low doses on locomotor activity and on circadian patterns of locomotor activity are roughly similar to those previously observed with continuous administration of a selective dopamine D2 agonist. This behavioral similarity suggests that dopamine released by continuous administration of low doses of (+)-amphetamine may be producing its effects via selective actions on DA D2 receptors in vivo

Long-term motor stimulant effects of (+)-4-propyl-9-hydroxynaphthoxazine (PHNO), a dopamine D-2 receptor agonist: interactions with a dopamine D-1 receptor antagonist and agonist.

Rats were given continuous infusions of (+)-4-propyl-9-hydroxynaphthoxazine (PHNO, 5 micrograms/h), a dopamine D-2 receptor agonist, using subcutaneous implants of ALZET osmotic minipumps. It was observed that tolerance occurred to the motor stimulant effects of PHNO during the light cycle of each day, but not during the dark cycle. Rather, the motor stimulant actions of PHNO were gradually augmented during successive nights. Daytime tolerance to the stimulant actions of PHNO was reversed by a mild environmental stress or by administration of the D-1 receptor agonist, SKF 38393 (6 mg/kg i.p.). Co-administration of the dopamine D-1 receptor antagonist, (SCH 23390, 20 micrograms/h s.c. by ALZET osmotic minipumps), initially blocked the motor stimulant actions of PHNO and also attenuated the reversal of tolerance to PHNO produced by stress, without blocking the actions of stress on activity in vehicle-infused animals. These results indicate that tolerance to the behavioural effects of PHNO may result from a loss of activation of D-1 receptors by endogenous DA

Chronic administration of a selective dopamine D-2 agonist: factors determining behavioral tolerance and sensitization.

The locomotor stimulant effects of sustained administration of a potent and selective dopamine (DA) D-2 receptor agonist, [+]-4-propyl-9-hydroxynaphthoxazine (PHNO), in rats were assessed 24 h a day during 12 h light-dark cycles. PHNO was administered continuously with subcutaneous implants of Alzet osmotic minipumps (5 micrograms/h), for 12 h a day with modified osmotic minipumps (5 micrograms/h), or by daily injections (15 micrograms, SC). Tolerance was observed to occur only with 24 h continuous infusions and only during the light period. The other treatment regimens produced sensitization of the locomotor response. Daytime tolerance to continuous infusions of PHNO was reversed following reversal of the light-dark cycle. A normally 'arousing' stimulus also reversed (temporarily) daytime tolerance. The present results indicate that the temporal pattern of administration of DA agonists, the phase of the circadian cycle and environmental stimuli associated with arousal are important determinants of the behavioral consequences of long-term treatment