Activation of dopamine D1-like receptors excites LTS interneurons of the striatum

Diego Centonze, Enrico Bracci, Antonio Pisani, Paolo Gubellini, Giorgio Bernardi, Paolo Calabresi

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Dopamine (DA) has a crucial role in the modulation of striatal neuron activity. Along with projection cells, striatal interneurons receive dense dopaminergic innervation from midbrain neurons, thus, also suggesting that these intrinsic cells represent a synaptic target for DA action in the striatum. In the present study, we investigated the effects of DA on low-threshold spike (LTS) interneurons of the rat striatum, by means of in vitro whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiological recordings. Dopamine depolarized LTS cells, a pharmacological effect prevented by D1- but not D2-like DA receptor antagonists. The membrane depolarization produced by DA was sufficient to trigger action potential discharge in the recorded cells and was insensitive to tetrodotoxin and glutamate receptor antagonists. In addition, this pharmacological effect was mimicked by D1- but not D2-like DA receptor agonists, implying the selective involvement of D1-like receptors in this action.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)2049-2052
    Number of pages3
    JournalEuropean Journal of Neuroscience
    Volume15
    Issue number12
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2002

    Keywords

    • Electrophysiology
    • GABA
    • Inhibitory transmission
    • Nitric oxide

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