Characterization of the synaptosomal high-affinity uptake of noradrenaline in the nucleus accumbens of rats.

In the nucleus (n.) accumbens, a predominantly dopaminergic innervated brain region, a high-affinity noradrenaline (NA) uptake exists indicating NA termination in this area. The affinity of the uptake carrier (Km) is in the range of that given for other regions. For characterizing the specificity of NA uptake, inhibitory experiments of NA and dopamine (DA) uptake were carried out with nomifensine and desipramine. The experiments with desipramine clearly show that the NA uptake is independent of the DA uptake into dopaminergic terminals occurring predominantly in this nucleus.