Effects of intraplantar injection of carrageenan on central dopamine release

The present study examined the changes of extracellular concentration of do pamine and its metabolite homovanillic acid in the striatum, the periaquedu ctal gray and the dorsal horn of lumbar spinal cord following intraplantar injection of carrageenan, In vivo microdialysis and high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection were performed. The results showed that intraplantar injection of carrageenan significantly increased d opamine or homovanillic acid levels in the different central regions. The p resent study suggested that the central dopamine system (at least including ascending nigrostriatal pathway and descending A(11)-the dorsal horn fiber s) be activated following the carrageenan, while the activation probably me diated antinociception, (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc.