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Modification of levodopa responses by deprenyl (selegiline): An electrophysiological and behavioral study in the rat relevant to Parkinson's disease
Author(s) -
Mercuri Nicola B.,
Scarponi Mariangela,
Federici Mauro,
Bonci Antonello,
Siniscalchi Antonio,
Bernardi Giorgio
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410430509
Subject(s) - selegiline , levodopa , electrophysiology , parkinson's disease , medicine , disease , neuroscience , pharmacology , psychology
Abstract From using in vitro intracellular recordings from mesencephalic neurons and monoamine‐depleted rats, we report that the functions of levodopa in the brain are greatly enhanced and prolonged by high does of the monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor deprenyl. Dopaminergic neurons were hyperpolarized and inhibited by levodopa application. These effects of levodopa were largely potentiated by pretreatment with nonselective does of deprenyl. Furthermore, when locomotor activity induced by levodopa was examined on a rodent model of parkinson's disease, pretreatment of the animals with nonselective doses of deprenyl caused an enhancement of the antiparkinsonian action of levodopa. The great increase in levodopa responses by deprenyl suggests a likely therapeutic use of this dopamine precursor with a higher dosage of the MAO inhibitor, to reduce effectively the daily levodopa requirements in Parkinson's disease patients.