Dopaminergic behavior in frontal decorticated rats.

Decortication of the frontal neocortex in rats enhanced the increased general activity caused by methamphetamine, 0.15 mg/kg, SC. However, the low, 0.1 mg/kg, SC, and high, 0.5 mg/kg, SC, dose effects of apomorphine were not affected by the decortication. The cataleptic effect of haloperidol, 2 mg/kg, SC, was decreased. The data suggest that the frontal cortex may inhibit dopamine release in mesolimbic and nigrostriatal areas. However, the sensitivity of presynaptic or postsynaptic dopamine receptor systems in the nucleus accumbens area appears to be unaltered by frontal decortication.