Apomorphine-induced limb flicks in cats: the role of dopamine receptors located outside the blood-brain barrier

✍ Scribed by B. R. Stewart; C. L. Broekkamp

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1988
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 311 KB
• Volume: 95
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0033-3158
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00174522

✦ Synopsis

Apomorphine-induced limb ticks in cats have been ascribed to a central dopamino-mimetic action of the drug. In these experiments we investigated the role of receptors located outside the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in the induction of limb ticking. Domperidone, a dopamine-receptor blocker which does not readily pass through the BBB, antagonised the induction of limb-flicks induced by apomorphine. This suggests that limb ticking behaviour may involve interactions with receptors located before the BBB. In contrast, 6-amino-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-l,2-naphtalenediol HBr (6-ATN), a dopamine-agonist which does not penetrate the BBB, did not induce limb ticks, indicating that receptor stimulation outside the BBB alone is not sufficient to induce limb ticks. We suggest that limb ticks in cats is a behaviour which can be elicited by combined activation of centrally located dopamine receptors and dopamine receptors in the area postrema.