In 19 rats, one of the two probes failed (five right and 14 left) during dialysate collection. In these

cases, data from a single probe, i.e. selleck a single left or right NAcc collection, was used in the final analysis for that rat. In those remaining rats whose dialysate was successfully collected from both sides, an analysis on left versus right NAcc DA levels was conducted (data not shown). No differences were observed and thus data were averaged from the two sides of the NAcc for each rat. Thus, a final N of 53 rats (HE/SEN, 6; HE/NON, 8; He/SEN, 6; He/NON, 6; SE/SEN, 6; SE/NON, 7; Se/SEN, 7; Se/NON, 7) were included in the analysis of NAcc DA levels. Analysis of the DA metabolites HVA and DOPAC revealed that these metabolite NVP-BKM120 molecular weight levels changed in the same manner as previously reported in response to AMPH (data not shown). HVA and DOPAC levels decreased in tandem with DA increases, as is typically observed in response to AMPH (Samaha et al., 2007). Because the dialysis probes used in this experiment were not commercially made, there is generally

a great deal of variability between probes in absolute DA recovery. Thus, DA analysis was calculated using percentages of baseline values. Nonetheless, absolute DA values are shown here in Table 1. As can be seen in Fig. 6A, in the absence of HAL, DA levels of high E2 rats were significantly (F1,11 = 18.40, P = 0.001) greater in response to AMPH in SEN rats. However, following chronic HAL treatment this effect disappeared (Fig. 6B). This suggests that chronic HAL PRKACG reduces DA availability in the NAcc in response to a challenge dose of AMPH in SEN high E2 rats. In contrast to the high E2 group, when low E2 rats were administered chronic HAL, the SEN group had significantly (F1,10 = 7.32, P = 0.022) greater dopamine levels than the NON group (Fig. 6D).

There were no differences in NAcc DA levels between SEN and NON rats in the groups receiving SAL paired with low E2 replacement (Fig. 6C). Probe placements for all animals were confined to the NAcc, as shown in Fig. 7A and B. Probe placements were located 2.16–1.20 mm from bregma (Paxinos & Watson, 1998). All probes were located both within the core and shell of the NAcc. ELISA results (Fig. 8) indicate an approximate two-fold increase in E2 levels (13.31 ± 3.55 pg/mL) in high E2 rats compared to low E2 rats (6.59 ± 0.85 pg/mL) 1 day following the last high E2 injection (t13 = 2.12, P = 0.026). Previous studies suggest that E2 may have antipsychotic-like properties, possibly through its interaction with the dopaminergic system (Kulkarni et al., 2001). The aim of this study was to investigate this interaction in chronic low-dose HAL-treated, AMPH-sensitized and non-sensitized female rats using behavioural and neurochemical analyses.