1. The effects of (+)-amphetamine on electrically evoked dopamine overflow were examined in the rat brain slice containing either anterior caudate putamen (aCPu) or nucleus accumbens (NAc), by fast cyclic voltammetry. 2. (+)-Amphetamine (1 microM) caused a time-dependent increase in the extracellular concentration of dopamine ([dopamine]ex) due to displacement of dopamine from terminal sites. After a 40 min superfusion, [dopamine]ex in the aCPu was 0.617 +/- 0.117 microM and in the NAc was 0.270 +/- 0.04 microM. Pretreatment with (-)-sulpiride (1 microM) did not affect this action of (+)-amphetamine. 3. (+)-Amphetamine (1 microM) exhibited a complex and time-dependent effect on electrically stimulated dopamine overflow, evoked by 1p, 4p/10 Hz and 20p/20 Hz. 4. In the aCPu, (+)-amphetamine (1 microM) resulted in attenuation of dopamine overflow due to 1p and 4p/10 Hz but potentiation of dopamine overflow to 20p/20 Hz. (-)-Sulpiride (1 microM) prior to (+)-amphetamine (1 microM) reversed the attenuation of dopamine overflow evoked by 1p and 4p/10 Hz but had no significant effect on dopamine overflow evoked by 20p/20 Hz. 5. (+)-Amphetamine (1 microM) potentiated dopamine overflow in the NAc to all three stimuli. (-)-Sulpiride (1 microM) prior to (+)-amphetamine (1 microM), resulted initially, in a further potentiation of overflow, followed by a time-dependent attenuation of dopamine overflow to all three stimuli. 6. t1/2, the rate of removal of [dopamine]ex following electrical stimulation was not significantly different in the aCPu and NAc for any of the stimulation conditions. After a 40 min superfusion with (+)-amphetamine (1 MicroM), t1/2 for ip, 4p/10 Hz and 20p/20 Hz was significantly increased in both the aCPuand NAc, the increase in t1/2 being significantly greater in the aCPu than in the NAc.7. In conclusion, this study indicates that the dopamine displacement and uptake inhibitory actions of(+ )-amphetamine result in complex and differential effects on electrically evoked dopamine overflow in the aCPu and NAc.