title: Dizocilpine inhibits amphetamine-induced formation of nitric oxide and amphetamine-induced release of amino acids and acetylcholine in the rat brain.
abstract: Glutamate receptor activation participates in mediation of neurotoxic effects in the striatum induced by the psychomotor stimulant amphetamine. The effects of the non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist dizocilpine (MK-801) on amphetamine-induced toxicity and formation of nitric oxide (NO) in both striatum and cortex and on induced transmitter release in the nucleus accumbens were investigated. Repeated, systemic application of amphetamine elevated striatal and cortical lipid peroxidation and NO production. Moreover, amphetamine caused an immediate release of acetylcholine and aspartate and a delayed release of GABA in the nucleus accumbens. Surprisingly, glutamate release was not affected. Dizocilpine abolished the amphetamine-induced lipid peroxidation and NO production in striatum and cortex and diminished the elevation of neurotransmitter release. These findings suggest that amphetamine evokes neurotoxic effects in both striatal and cortical brain areas that are prevented by inhibiting NMDA receptor activation. The amphetamine-induced acetylcholine, aspartate and GABA release in the nucleus accumbens is also mediated through NMDA receptor-dependent mechanisms. Interestingly, the enhanced aspartate release might contribute to NMDA receptor activation in the nucleus accumbens, while glutamate does not seem to mediate amphetamine-evoked transmitter release in this striatal brain area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Michaela M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bashkatova
authors.forename: Anatoly
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vanin
authors.forename: Athineos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Philippu
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Prast
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D000109:Acetylcholine; D003913:Dextroamphetamine