Potentiating effects of methamphetamine on the hyperactivity of microencephalic rats treated prenatally with methylazoxymethanol: possible implication of hyperdopaminergia.
Microencephalic rats induced by methylazoxymethanol (MAM) were observed to have notable hyperactivity compared to control rats, as measured by several behavioral parameters in an automated field apparatus. Acute injection of the stimulant drug, methamphetamine (MAP), produced an increase in the incidence of locomotion and rearing in control rats, and this stimulatory effect of MAP on motor activity was markedly potentiated in MAM rats. Chronic MAP treatment did not change D1 or D2 dopamine receptor densities in either control or MAM rats. From these results, it was suggested that augmented dopaminergic functions may contribute to the hyperactivity seen in MAM rats.
Watanabe
M
M
Department of Psychiatry, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan.
Shimizu
K
K
Kodama
Y
Y
Takishima
K
K
Mamiya
G
G
Ichinowatari
N
N
D000477:Alkylating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008746:Methylazoxymethanol Acetate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D009043:Motor Activity; D009474:Neurons; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*
D000477:Alkylating Agents; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D008694:Methamphetamine; D008746:Methylazoxymethanol Acetate; C030667:methylazoxymethanol