Diazepam suppresses dopamine release from the prefrontal cortex of rats with occlusal interferences

Abstract

We measured dopamine release from the prefrontal cortex of rats with occlusal interferences to clarify the relationship of the interferences with psychiatry stress responses, and used diazepam to show whether increased dopamine release was caused by anxiety. Dopamine release was measured using the microdialysis method. We measured it before and after the animals were given food pellets. The amount of dopamine released was significantly increased in the occlusal interference group. When the diazepam was intraperitoneally administered before the rats were fed, the amount of dopamine release was not increased in either the interference group or the controls. The amount of dopamine release was increased in the rats with occlusal interferences when they were fed, and diazepam suppressed this increase. These findings suggest that occlusal interferences induce anxiety in rats when they are fed.