Differential behavioral profile induced by the injection of dipotassium chlorazepate within brain areas that project to the nucleus accumbens septi

The effect of the agonism on γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors was studied within medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), amygdala (AMY) and ventral hipocampus (VH) in the plus-maze test in male rats bilaterally cannulated. These structures send glutamatergic projections to the nucleus accumbens septi (NAS), in which interaction and integration between these afferent pathways has been described. In a previous study of our group, blockade of glutamatergic transmission within NAS induced an anxiolytic like effect Three rat groups received either saline or dipotassium chlorazepate (1 or 2μg/1μl solution) 15 min before testing. Time spent in the open arms (TSOA), time per entry (TPE), extreme arrivals (EA), open and closed arms entries (OAE, CAE) and relationship between open- and closed-arms quotient (OCAQ) were recorded In the AMY injected group TSOA, OAE and EA were increased by the higher doses of dipotassium chlorazepate (p < 0.01). In the mPFC, TPE was decreased by both doses (p