UTILIZATION OF MICRODIALYSIS FOR ASSESSING THE RELEASE OF MESOTELENCEPHALIC DOPAMINE FOLLOWING CLOZAPINE AND OTHER ANTIPSYCHOTIC-DRUGS

1. In vivo microdialysis was utilized to assess the effect of clozapine, haloperidol, and sulpiride on the release of dopamine from the nucleus accumbens, striatum, and prefrontal cortex of the rat. 2. The results suggest that acute administration of various classes of antipsychotic drugs may differentially increase the extracellular concentration of dopamine in mesotelencephalic systems. Haloperidol and sulpiride were more effective in releasing dopamine from the terminals of the nigrostriatal dopamine system while clozapine had a more prefrontal effect on the mesolimbic and particularly the mesocortical dopamine systems.