RAPID COMMUNICATION Role of the Subthalamic Nucleus in Cannabinoid Actions in the Substantia Nigra of the Rat

Sañudo-Peña, M. Clara and J. Michael Walker. Role of the cannabinoid receptor binding in this area (Herkenham et al. subthalamic nucleus in cannabinoid actions in the substantia nigra 1991a). of the rat. J. Neurophysiol. 77: 1635–1638, 1997. The effect of Cannabinoids inhibit neurotransmission through activacannabinoids on the excitatory input to the substantia nigra reticution of K channels and inhibition of Nand Q-type voltagelata (SNr) from the subthalamic nucleus was explored. For this gated calcium channels. These effects are mediated through purpose a knife cut was performed rostral to the subthalamic nuG proteins (Deadwyler et al. 1993; Howlett 1995; Mackie cleus to isolate the subthalamic nucleus and the SNr from the and Hille 1992; Mackie et al. 1995). Also, inhibition of striatum, a major source of cannabinoid receptors to the SNr. The voltage-gated Na channels by cannabinoids has been redata showed that the cannabinoid agonist WIN55,212-2 blocked ported (Turkanis et al. 1991). Furthermore, cannabinoids the increase in the firing rate of SNr neurons induced by stimulation