BILATERAL IMBALANCE IN STRIATAL DA-UPTAKE CONTROLS ROTATION BEHAVIOR

We tested the relation between bilateral imbalance in striatal DA upta ke and asymmetric rotation behavior. Rats were screened for either spo ntaneous or amphetamine-induced preferred direction of rotation and th e presynaptic DA transporter in the ipsi- and contralateral striatum w as characterized in vitro by measuring [H-3]DA uptake or [H-3]GBR-1293 5 binding. DA uptake was lower in the striatum contralateral to either the spontaneous or amphetamine-induced preferred direction of rotatio n. Similar imbalance in the density of the transporter was confirmed b y the binding experiments. These results support the hypothesis that s triatal imbalance in DA uptake produces asymmetric behavior during spo ntaneous rotation. Further studies are required to assess the involvem ent of DA transporter imbalance in amphetamine-induced behavioral asym metry.