Stimulation of D2-receptors in rat nucleus accumbens slices inhibits dopamine and acetylcholine release but not cyclic AMP formation.

We compared some functional responses of D1- and D2-receptor stimulation in tissue slices of rat neostriatum with those in slices of the nucleus accumbens. In both brain regions D2-receptor stimulation inhibited the electrically evoked release of radiolabeled dopamine and acetylcholine. In both brain regions D1-receptor stimulation and forskolin increased the cyclic AMP formation. Only in the neostriatum, stimulation of D2-receptors inhibited the formation of cyclic AMP, brought about by forskolin or by D1-receptor stimulation. It is concluded from these experiments that, although functional responses of D2-receptor stimulation can be demonstrated in the nucleus accumbens, D2-receptors in this brain region are apparently uncoupled to adenylate cyclase.