Extracellular dopamine in the rat ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens following ventral tegmental infusion of cocaine

Rats were implanted with dual dialysis probes, one in the ventral tegmental area, and another one ipsilateral in the nucleus accumbens. Infusion of cocaine (10, 100, 1000 mM) into the ventral tegmental area gradually increased extracellular dopamine to 164, 329 and 991% of baseline in the ventral tegmental area, but reduced dopamine to 76, 47 and 38% of baseline in the nucleus acumbens. These results are consistent with cocaine-induced feedback regulation of dopamine cell activity involving somatodendritec impulse-regulating dopamine D₂ autoreceptors.