| Abstract: | Objective To study the effect of serotonergic efferent projection of the dorsal rophe nucleus (DRN) on the activity of substantia nigro pars compacta (SNc) and ventral tegmenta area (VTA) dopaminergic neurons after lesioning of the DRN by the neurotoxin 5,7-drhydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) in rot. Methods The changes in the firing rote and firing pattern of SNc and VTA dopaminergic neurons were observed with extrocellular recording in control and the lesioned rats. Results The results showed that the mean firing rotes of the fast-firing dopaminergic neurons of the SNc in control and the lesioned rots were (5.34±0. 13 ) Hz (n = 23 ) and ( 7.13±0. 49 ) Hz (n=37), respectively. The mean firing rote of the fast-firing dopaminergic neurons of the SNc in the lesioned rats was significantly increased when compared to that of control rots (P<0.01), while the mean firing rote of the slow-firing dopaminergic neurons of the SNc did not change. The mean firing rotes of dopaminergic neurons of the VTA in control and the lesioned rots were (5.27±0. 38)Hz (n=35) and (3.6±0.2)Hz (n=52), respectively. Lesioning of the DRN induced a significant decrease in the mean firing rote of dopaminergic neurons of the VTA. The firing pattern of SNc and VTA dopaminergic neurons changed towards a more bursting or irrgular firing after the lesioning. Conlusion These data suggest that the serotonergic efferent projections of the DRN significantly affect the activity of SNe and VTA dopaminergic neurons. |
