Vaccarino F J, Amalric M, Swerdlow N R, Koob G F
Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1986 Jan;24(1):61-5. doi: 10.1016/0091-3057(86)90045-6.
The effects of pharmacological blockade of dopamine (DA) receptors or 6-OHDA lesions of mesolimbic DA fibers on the locomotor-activating properties of systemic amphetamine (0.35 mg/kg) and heroin (0.5 mg/kg) were examined. Pharmacological blockade of DA receptors or lesions of mesolimbic DA neurons blocked amphetamine but not heroin-induced locomotion. These results show that the opiate receptors essential for opiate-induced locomotor activation are not located on mesolimbic DA neurons. It appears that DA plays a primary role in stimulant-induced locomotion, but may have only a secondary role in opiate locomotion.
