Some factors affecting striatal 3-methoxytyramine concentrations in the mouse and rat

Time of day alters long-term sensitization to cocaine in rats

To test the hypothesis that time of day influences the locomotor effects of cocaine in rats, we measured short- and long-term sensitization to cocaine at five different Zeitgeber times (ZT). Short-term sensitization was expressed equally at all ZTs tested. Long-term sensitization was expressed only at dark onset, suggesting a possible influence of melatonin. Exogenous melatonin given immediately before cocaine challenge slightly enhanced long-term sensitization. Taken together, the present results support a time-of-day influence on locomotor sensitization to cocaine.

Kainic acid lesion of the striatum increases dopamine release but reduces 3-methoxytyramine level

Kainic acid lesion of the striatum leads to the disruption of the striatonigral regulatory loop. Although microdialysis showed an increase in dopamine release, two days after kainic acid injection, 3-methoxytyramine levels are dramatically decreased. This suggests that the postsynaptic membrane-bound catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), but not the glial COMT, is responsible for the formation of measured 3-methoxytyramine.