Stimulation of dopamine transmission in the dorsal caudate nucleus by pargyline as demonstrated by dopamine and acetylcholine microdialysis and Fos immunohistochemistry.

The effect of pargyline on dopamine neurotransmission was investigated by trans-striatal microdialysis combined with Fos immunohistochemistry. Pargyline, 75 mg/kg i.p., increased dopamine and acetylcholine output while drastically decreased dopamine deaminated metabolites. Administration of pargyline resulted in the appearance of Fos-positive nuclei distributed along a gradient around the dialysis probe. Pretreatment with the D1 antagonist SCH 23390 potentiated the effect of pargyline on dopamine output while preventing that on acetylcholine output and on Fos formation. Similarly, lack of calcium in the perfusion medium abolished the effect of pargyline on dopamine and acetylcholine output and on Fos formation. In rats not implanted with dialysis probes pargyline administration resulted in only rare Fos-positive nuclei in the dorsal caudate. The present study indicates that pargyline stimulates dopamine transmission in the dorsal caudate in the area around the dialysis probe but not distant from the fibre or in unimplanted rats. This effect appears to reflect an interaction between the drug-induced changes and those locally elicited by the probe.