Stimulation of basal and l-DOPA-induced motor activity by glutamate antagonists in animal models of Parkinson's disease

NMDA receptor antagonists ameliorate the stepping deficits produced by unilateral medial forebrain bundle injections of 6-OHDA in rats

“…Rodriguez et al 1998;Blandini et al 2000) and indicate that a variety of glutamate antagonists may be therapeutic (e.g. Starr et al 1997;Nash et al 1999;Popoli et al 2001).…”

“…Carlsson and Carlsson 1990;Blandini et al 2000;Greenamyre 2001), and that this enhanced transmission may contribute to the symptoms (Carlsson and Carlsson 1990;Blandini et al 2000), ongoing degeneration (Rodriguez et al 1998;Blandini et al 2000), and the dyskinesias produced by chronic l-dopa treatment (Criswell et al 1990;Chase and Oh 2000). Indicating that excess glutamatergic transmission at NMDA receptors may be involved in mediating some of the symptoms of PD, NMDA receptor antagonists have been therapeutic in rodent models of PD (Starr et al 1997). In one popular model, mice or rats are rendered akinetic by injections of large doses of reserpine, which depletes the brain of monoamines, including DA.…”

The Selective mGlu5 Receptor Agonist CHPG Inhibits Quinpirole-Induced Turning in 6-Hydroxydopamine-Lesioned Rats and Modulates the Binding Characteristics of Dopamine D2 Receptors in the Rat Striatum Interactions with Adenosine A2a Receptors

“…Such a reduction may be achieved by potentiating the dopaminergic neurotrasmission and/or by inhibiting the glutamatergic tone. Indeed, several studies have shown that antagonists of ionotropic glutamate receptors possess antiparkinsonian effects (Starr et al 1997).…”

Motor actions of eliprodil in the normal and monoamine-depleted mouse: A role in the treatment of Parkinson's disease?

“…A second useful trait of competitive and non-competitive NMDA antagonists, which might be clinically exploitable, is their capacity to facilitate the antiparkinsonian action of L-DOPA (reviewed in Starr, 1995a,b;Starr et al, 1995). Interestingly, eliprodil had no such effect in the reserpine-treated mouse.…”