Alterations of the dopaminergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission in adult rats with postnatal ibotenic acid hippocampal lesion

In 6-week and 8-week-old rats (pre- and post-pubertally) with neonatal exci totoxic lesions of the ventral hippocampus with ibotenic acid (IBO), we hav e studied apomorphine-induced motor activity and glutamate and dopamine D-1 and D-2 binding sites in the hippocampus, striatum, nc. accumbens and fron tal cortex as well as K+-stimulated (H-3)-D-aspartate release from hippocam pal and frontal cortical slices. Specific glutamate binding was enhanced in the frontal cortex of 8-week-old IBO-treated animals, whereas that in othe r brain regions remained unchanged. Both D-1 and D-2 binding sites were dow nregulated in the striatum without changes in other brain structures. In 6- week-old rats, neither the glutamate nor the dopamine binding sites were al tered. The amino acid release from hippocampal and frontal cortical slices of adult IBO treated rats was significantly decreased in comparison to cont rols, whereas in 6-week-old rats, no significant alterations were detectabl e. The additionally monitored motor activity was enhanced only in adult IBO -lesioned rats after apomorphine pretreatment. The present data are in agre ement with the hypothesis of hyperactive dopamine and hypoactive glutamate systems in schizophrenia and are discussed in the light of schizophrenia-li ke behavioral changes in rats after postnatal hippocampal IBO lesion.