Neurotensin participates in self-stimulation of the medial prefrontal cortex in the rat.

The effects of intracerebral microinjections of neurotensin and xenopsin on self-stimulation of the medial prefrontal cortex of the rat were studied. Unilateral microinjections into the medial prefrontal cortex of neurotensin at doses of 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5 and 10 nmol produced a dose-related decrease of self-stimulation in the ipsilateral medial prefrontal cortex. Self-stimulation of the contralateral medial prefrontal contex, used as control, was not affected by the microinjections. Similar results were found with the neurotension-like octapeptide, xenopsin. Unilateral microinjections of xenoposin into the medial prefrontal cortex, at doses of 1.8, 3.6, 7.2 and 14.4 nmol produced a dose-related decrease of self-stimulation of the ipsilateral medial prefrontal cortex. Self-stimulation of the contralateral medial prefrontal cortex was not affected. These results suggest that neurotensin is part of the neurochemical substrate of self-stimulation in this cortical area.