Modulation of hippocampal dopamine metabolism and hippocampal-dependent cognitive function by catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibition.

ABSTRACT: Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) catabolises the catecholamine neurotransmitters and influences cognitive function. COMT modulates dopamine levels in the prefrontal cortex and its action in this region is generally invoked to explain its effects on cognition. However, its role in other brain regions important for cognitive function remains largely unexplored. Here, we investigated COMT's impact on dopamine metabolism in the hippocampus and hippocampal-dependent behaviour. We examined the acute effects of a centrally-acting COMT inhibitor, tolcapone (30 mg/kg i.p.), on dopamine metabolism in the rat dorsal hippocampus, assessed both in tissue homogenates and extracellularly, using in vivo microdialysis. Additionally, we investigated the effect of tolcapone on delayed-rewarded alternation

SUBMITTER: Laatikainen LM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3546629 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature