Dopamine-mediated changes in central nervous system neurotensin systems: a role for NMDA receptors.

A role for N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptors in mediating the dopaminergic regulation of neurotensin (NT) systems was observed in extrapyramidal and limbic structures. Blockade of the NMDA receptor with the non-competitive antagonist, MK801, prevented increases in striatal and nigral levels of NT following both single and multiple administrations of methamphetamine. Significant attenuation of the methamphetamine-induced changes in the striatal NT system were observed with MK801 doses as low as 0.01 mg/kg per dose. In contrast, administration of NMDA caused significant increases in both striatal and nigral NT. The NMDA-induced increase in striatal NT content, like that caused by methamphetamine, was blocked by MK801. The NT system associated with the nucleus accumbens responded in a similar manner in that MK801 (0.1 mg/kg per dose) totally blocked the methamphetamine-induced increases and NMDA administration elevated the NT levels in this structure. Since the methamphetamine-related changes in NT content have been previously shown to be due to increased activity at dopamine D1 receptors, these results strongly suggest that NMDA receptors play an important role in mediating the dopamine D1 regulation of neurotensin systems. Interestingly, the presence of MK801 had no impact on sulpiride-mediated changes in striatal NT levels, suggesting that the NMDA receptor is not linked with the dopamine D2 receptor regulation of NT pathways.