title: Interaction between the mGlu receptors 5 antagonist, MPEP, and amphetamine on memory and motor functions in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Metabotropic glutamate mGlu receptors 5 (mGluR5) receptors are abundant in corticolimbic circuitry where they modulate glutamate and dopamine signal transduction.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we explored the hypothesis that mGluR5 antagonist, (2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)pyridine hydrochloride) (MPEP), facilitates dopamine-dependent effects on memory and motor functions.
  
  
  METHODS
  To this aim, we examined the effects of different doses (from 0 to 24 mg/kg) of the mGluR5 antagonist, MPEP, on the modulation of amphetamine-dependent behaviors, namely passive avoidance, locomotor activity, and rotation behavior in intact and dopamine-depleted CD1 male mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We demonstrated that a low dose (3 mg/kg) of MPEP, which is void of behavioral effects on its own, facilitates amphetamine-induced effects independently on the behavior measured both in naïve and in dopamine-lesioned mice; this synergistic effect is lost when higher doses of MPEP are used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results are discussed in terms of possible balance between dopamine and glutamate activity in regulating the proper fine tuning of information processing.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie "C. Darwin", Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Managò
authors.forename: Sebastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oliverio
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amalric
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mele
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Leonibus
mesh_terms: D000661:Amphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004357:Drug Synergism; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D011725:Pyridines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D064529:Receptor, Metabotropic Glutamate 5; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; C578936:Grm5 protein, mouse; D011725:Pyridines; D064529:Receptor, Metabotropic Glutamate 5; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; C121465:6-methyl-2-(phenylethynyl)pyridine; D000661:Amphetamine; D004298:Dopamine