IN-VIVO VOLTAMMETRIC MEASUREMENT OF EVOKED EXTRACELLULAR DOPAMINE IN THE RAT BASOLATERAL AMYGDALOID NUCLEUS

1. The in vivo measurement of evoked extracellular dopamine was establ ished in the basolateral amygdaloid nucleus (BAN) using fast-scan cycl ic voltammetry at carbon-fibre microelectrodes. 2. The identification of evoked extracellular dopamine in the BAN was based on anatomical, e lectrochemical and pharmacological criteria. Electrochemical and pharm acological evidence indicated that the species was a catecholamine. Me sencephalic sites eliciting overflow and amygdaloid sites supporting o verflow correlated well with the mesoamygdaloid dopamine innervation. 3. Marked differences in the dynamics and magnitude of evoked dopamine overflow were observed in the BAN, caudate-putamen and amygdalo-stria tal transition area. The results underscore the importance of making s patially resolved measurements of extracellular dopamine in the amygda la. 4. Mesoamygdaloid dopamine neurons have similar release characteri stics as mesostriatal dopamine neurons but share with mesoprefrontal c ortical dopamine neurons the ability to use a greater percentage of in traneuronal dopamine stores for release.