In vivo modulation of alpha7 nicotinic receptors on striatal glutamate release induced by anatoxin-A.

In vitro studies suggest that alpha7 nicotinic receptors located on striatal glutamatergic terminals stimulate the release of glutamate which in turn acts at ionotropic glutamate receptors on dopaminergic terminals to increase dopamine release. However, this mechanism has never been observed in in vivo studies. In the present work, the effect of the nicotinic receptors agonist, anatoxin-a, on striatal glutamate and dopamine release has been studied. Using in vivo microdialysis technique, our results have shown that anatoxin-a evokes glutamate release in a dependent way of activation alpha7 nicotinic receptors. The increase of glutamate is followed by an increase on dopamine levels. These results represent a clear in vivo evidence of the striatal modulation of dopamine by means of glutamate release through alpha7 nicotinic receptors.