NeuroanatomyDifferential behavioral effects of partial bilateral lesions of ventral tegmental area or substantia nigra pars compacta in rats
Section snippets
Animals
Twenty-nine Wistar rats (Depré, St. Doulchard, France) weighing 450–480 g were housed under controlled conditions of light (12-h light/dark cycle, i.e. lights on from 07:00–19:00 h), temperature (22 °C) and humidity. Food and water were available ad libitum. All experiments were carried out in accordance with the European Committee Council Directive of 24 November 1986 (86/609/EEC) and were approved by the local ethical committee. All reasonable efforts were made to minimize animal suffering
Extent of lesion
Given the aim of the present study, it was imperative that our lesions be large enough to cover the target area, but strictly restricted to either the SNc or the VTA. We have previously shown with the same model that (i) bilateral lesions were highly comparable on both hemispheres and that (ii) partial lesions of the SNc and VTA were restricted to the targeted nucleus (Pioli et al., 2004). The extent of 6-OHDA-induced lesion in SNc and VTA was quantified by unbiased stereological counting of
Discussion
The present study shows that distinctive patterns of behavioral impairment are obtained following selective lesion of either the SNc or VTA. Our results imply that the SNc might be primarily involved in motor-related akinesia behavior, while the VTA is preferentially associated with a perseverative behavior.
Acknowledgments
We wish to thank L. Cardoit and S. Dovero for the technical assistance. E.Y.P. was supported by a fellowship from the Ministère de la Recherche et de la Technologie (MRT) and W.M. was a Marie Curie Fellow of the European Community (HPMF-2001-01300). The University Victor Segalen, the CNRS and the IFR (INSERM No. 8; CNRS No. 13) funded this study.
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