Striatal dopaminergic stimulation produces c-Fos expression in the PPT and an increase in wakefulness.

Striatal activation can modify activity in cortical areas related to specific striatal functions possibly through a process of disinhibition within the basal ganglia. Anatomical studies have shown substantial GABAergic innervation from these nuclei to the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPT). Thus, dopaminergic stimulation of the striatum could produce PPT disinhibition and result in non-specific cortical activation. To test this hypothesis, d-amphetamine was infused both into the striatum of freely moving rats for motor and electrocorticographic recordings, and into the striatum of animals under deep anesthesia for c-Fos immunohistochemistry. The results show that intrastriatal amphetamine increases wakefulness independent of motor activity, and it increases c-Fos expression in the PPT and adjacent areas. They also suggest that the striatum participates in non-specific cortical activation probably as a result of its relationship with the PPT.