In vivo voltammetric study of dopamine release in the striatum following microinjection of apomorphine into the substantia nigra zona reticulata

Effect of microinjection of apomorphine into the substantia nigra zona reticulata (SNR) on the dopamine (DA) release in the ipsilateral striatum was examined in the present study. To measure the DA release, we determined DA and/or DOPAC levels in the striatum by using in vivo voltammetry. The microinjection of apomorphine (10 micrograms/2 microliters) into the SNR produced a rapid and prolonged increase in the DA and/or DOPAC peak in the ipsilateral striatum. These results suggest that release of DA from dendrites of DA cells normally plays a physiological role in the SNR neurons.