AUGMENTED PHARMACOLOGICAL STIMULATION OF STRIATAL ACETYLCHOLINE-RELEASE FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENTAL HYPOXIC-ISCHEMIC INJURY

We have previously shown that developmental hypoxic-ischemic injury in a unilateral rodent model leads to an increase in both morphologic an d biochemical indices of striatal cholinergic neurons. To investigate the functional significance these changes, we have used the in vivo mi crodialysis technique to examine the regulation of striatal acetylchol ine release in awake, adult rats following postnatal hypoxic-ischemic injury. We have found that injury does not alter basal release of acet ylcholine, but it results in a marked augmentation in the increase of acetylcholine release normally observed after infusion of atropine or pirenzepine.