The involvement of noradrenaline in motor activity as shown by rotational behaviour after unilateral lesions of the locus coeruleus.

Abstract

Unilateral electrolytic lesions in the region of the locus coeruleus in rats result in contraversive circling behaviour following the administration of systemic apomorphine or dexamphetamine. In a large group of such animals there was a very good correlation between histological damage to the locus coeruleus and the presence of such rotation. There was a progressive increase in the percentage of rats showing this drug-induced behaviour as ipsilateral cerebral cortical noradrenaline content decreased. Unilateral injections of 6-OHDA produce more selective damage to the noradrenergic locus coeruleus and result in a similar, although less marked, apomorphine- and dexamphetamine-induced rotation. Unlike the rats with electrolytic lesions of the locus coeruleus, those with 6-OHDA injections did not show an increase in ipsilateral striatal dopamine content. It seems likely that the motor asymmetry seen with lesions which involve the locus coeruleus is due to damage to its noradrenergic cells. A possible explanation of the differences between electrolytic and 6-OHDA induced lesion is that the 6-OHDA produces damage to the ventral noradrenergic bundle as well as the locus coeruleus and results in an increase in ipsilateral cerebral cortical 5-hydroxytryptamine.