[Effect of intracaudate administration of kainic acid on the activity of the dopaminergic system].

The injection of kainic acid into dorsal part of the rat striatum destroys the neuronal perikarya and dendrites in the site of injection. Within 10 days the concentration of striatal dopamine and its metabolites (homovanillic acid and 3,4-dihydrohyphenylacetic acid) increased, suggesting activation of the nigro-striatal dopaminergic system. The increase of dopaminergic activity is due to the generation of GABA-ergic striato-nigral loop. The administration of apomorphine and haloperidol in kainic-treated rats showed that apomorphine exerted its effect on the dopamine metabolism presumably via the presynaptic receptors while haloperidol acted on both pre- and postsynaptic receptors. The use of kainic acid as a means for the study of regulation of dopaminergic system activity is proposed.