title: Effects of co-administration of anticonvulsant and putative anticonvulsive agents and sub/suprathreshold doses of L-dopa upon motor behaviour of MPTP-treated mice.
abstract: The effects of co-administration of the dopamine precursor, L-Dopa, with anticonvulsant and putative anticonvulsive agents upon the motor activity of hypoactive MPTP-treated C57 BL/6 mice were measured in six experiments. In each case, MPTP (2 x 40 mg/kg, s.c., separated by a 24-hr interval) was administered four to six weeks prior to behavioural testing. Thus, the effects of these agents combined with either a single acute, subthreshold dose (5 mg/kg, s.c.) of L-Dopa, or, with chronically-administered, suprathreshold doses (20 mg/kg, s.c.) of L-Dopa were studied. In the former, lamotrigine, FCE 26743 and L-Deprenyl, injected 60 min before subthreshold L-Dopa (5 mg/kg), each induced an antiparkinsonian action in MPTP-treated mice that consisted of dose-specific, as opposed to dose-related, elevations of locomotion and rearing behaviour. In the latter, lamotrigine (all three measures of activity at 3 mg/kg), FCE 26743 (locomotion and total activity at 3; rearing at 1 and 3 mg/kg) and L-Deprenyl (locomotion and total activity at 1 and 3mg/kg), but not phenytoin (neither at 1 nor 3 mg/kg), reinstated the motor activity-stimulating effects of the threshold dose of L-Dopa (20 mg/kg) in L-Dopa-tolerant, MPTP-treated mice. Neurochemical analyses confirmed severe DA depletions in MPTP-treated mice. Since neither lamotrigine, FCE 26743 nor L-Deprenyl, nor subthreshold L-Dopa, by themselves increased the motor behaviour of MPTP-treated mice, a synergistic effect of the co-administration is concluded. Further, since the suprathreshold dose of L-Dopa by itself failed to stimulate motor activity in the MPTP mice following chronic (25 daily injections) administrations of the compound, it is suggested that a restorative effect, in combination with lamotrigine, FCE 26743 or L-Deprenyl was evidenced. The potential therapeutic benefits of anticonvulsant or putative anticonvulsive compounds for parkinsonian symptoms are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Uppsala, Ulleråkers Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fredriksson
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Palomo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Archer
mesh_terms: D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D015259:Dopamine Agents; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D007980:Levodopa / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D015259:Dopamine Agents; D007980:Levodopa; D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D004298:Dopamine