Acute administration of clozapine, thioridazine and metoclopramide increases extracellular DOPAC and decreases extracellular 5-HIAA, measured in the nucleus accumbens and striatum of the rat using in vivo voltammetry.

Changes in the extracellular levels of dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) after acute administration of clozapine (50 mg/kg s.c.), thioridazine (20 mg/kg s.c.) and metoclopramide (5 mg/kg s.c.), were monitored using in vivo voltammetry with micro-carbon electrodes implanted in the nucleus accumbens and striatum of the rat anaesthetised with halothane/N2O. Both clozapine and thioridazine increased extracellular levels of DOPAC in the striatum and the nucleus accumbens. The maximum increases with clozapine were 60% and 86% in the nucleus accumbens and striatum and 44% and 55% with thioridazine. Both neuroleptics also decreased the extracellular level of 5-HIAA in these regions of the brain. Metoclopramide increased the extracellular level of DOPAC in the nucleus accumbens (42%) and the striatum (57%) and significantly decreased the level of 5-HIAA in the nucleus accumbens. These results suggest that the two so-called atypical neuroleptics, clozapine and thioridazine, do not have selective effects on the metabolism of dopamine in vivo in the nucleus accumbens after acute administration. Furthermore, neuroleptic-induced increases in dopamine metabolism are accompanied by reciprocal decreases in 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolism in vivo.