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Unilateral Activation of Caudate Tyrosine Hydroxylase During Voluntary Circling Behavior
Author(s) -
Morgan Michael E.,
Yamamoto Bryan K.,
Freed Curt R.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1984.tb12794.x
Subject(s) - tyrosine hydroxylase , caudate nucleus , tyrosine , turnover , neuroscience , psychology , dopamine , chemistry , biochemistry , economics , management
Abstract: We trained rats to circle for a sucrose water reward and found that this behavior is associated with a unilateral increase in the activity of caudate tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate‐limiting enzyme for dopamine synthesis. The increase in tyrosine hydroxylase activity occurs in caudate contralateral to the circling direction and the change is transient, increasing during the first 20 min of circling but then plateauing and falling as turning slows. Enhanced synthetic capacity is followed by increases in the contents of dopamine and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid in the contralateral caudate nucleus. These observations are the first evidence for specific activation of a neurotransmitter synthetic enzyme during voluntary motor behavior.