IPSILATERAL TURNING BEHAVIOR INDUCED BY UNILATERAL MICROINJECTIONS OFA CANNABINOID INTO THE RAT SUBTHALAMIC NUCLEUS

The subthalamic nucleus contains cannabinoid receptors and cannabinoid receptor mRNA. However, the role of cannabinoid receptors in this nuc leus has not been examined. In order to investigate the functional rol e of cannabinoid receptors in the rat subthalamic nucleus, turning act ivity was observed following unilateral microinjection of the syntheti c cannabinoid CP 55,940. CP 55,940 (10 mu g) induced ipsilateral turni ng. This effect was blocked by coadministration of the cannabinoid rec eptor antagonist SR141716A (5 mu g). These results suggest that cannab inoid receptors in the subthalamic nucleus mediate an inhibition of mo tor activity. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.