Pentobarbital Inhibits Ketamine-Induced Dopamine Release in the Rat Nucleus Accumbens: A Microdialysis Study

Abstract

Ketamine increased dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens, which was inhibited by pentobarbital. The mesolimbic dopamine system may be involved in the psychotomimetic effects of ketamine, and the suppression of ketamine emergence reactions by barbiturates may be because of the inhibition of ketamine-induced dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens.