Increase in striatal acetylcholine by picrotoxin in the rat: evidence for a gabergic-dopaminergic-cholinergic link.

Picrotoxin, 2 mg/kg i.p., a GABA receptor blocking agent, increased rat striatal acetylcholine content by approximately 70% without altering the levels of this amine in the cerebral hemispheres, mesencephalon, diencephalon, hippocampus and cerebellum. Striatal choline levels were concomitantly decreased by about 25%. This dose of picrotoxin also increased striatal homovanillic acid levels by about 30%, an effect which was not antagonized by pretreatment with the dopamine receptor stimulating agent, piribedil. Picrotoxin did not affect striatal choline-O-acetyltransferase or cholinesterase activity after in vitro incubation. The action of picrotoxin on striatal acetylcholine levels was partially antagonized by pimozide and completely blocked by alpha-methyl-para-tyrosine pretreatment while the intraventricular injection of 6-hydroxydopamine was without effect. Convulsions were not prevented by any of these treatments. The results are interpreted as follows: picrotoxin released dopamine through disinhibition of the dopaminergic neurons as a result of blockade of gabergic receptors. The increased dopaminergic activity inhibited cholinergic neurons and lead to an increase in acetylcholine content. The data thus provide evidence for a possible gabergic (inhibitory)--dopaminergic (inhibitory)-cholinergic link terminating in the striatum.