EFFECTS OF NEUROTENSIN ON THE RELEASE OF GLUTAMIC-ACID IN THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX AND STRIATUM OF THE RAT

THE effects of neurotensin (NT) on the extracellular concentrations of excitatory amino acids (EAA) glutamic acid (GLU) and aspartic acid (A SP) in the medial prefrontal cortex (MPC) and striatum (ST) of the con scious rat have been studied. NT was infused directly into these two s tructures for 10 min at doses of 10, 100 and 1000 nM. In the MPC, NT p roduced a dose-related increase of GLU. Also, NT produced a delayed in crease of ASP at the highest dose. In ST, NT at doses of 10, 100 and 1 000 nM produced no effect on GLU and ASP. It is suggested that the inc rease of GLU and ASP in the MPC could due to a direct effect of NT on pyramidal cortical neurones. On the contrary, it is suggested that a d irect interaction NT-GLU does not exist in the ST of the rat.