title: Mirtazapine has a therapeutic potency in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced mice model of Parkinson's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mirtazapine, a noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressant (NaSSA), shows multiple pharmacological actions such as inhibiting presynaptic α2 noradrenaline receptor (NAR) and selectively activating 5-hydroxytriptamine (5-HT) 1A receptor (5-HT1AR). Mirtazapine was also reported to increase dopamine release in the cortical neurons with 5-HT dependent manner. To examine whether mirtazapine has a therapeutic potency in Parkinson's disease (PD), we examined this compound in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated mice model of PD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to MPTP treatment to establish a PD model. Mirtazapine was administered once a day for 3 days after MPTP treatment. MPTP-induced motor dysfunction, assessed by beam-walking and rota-rod tests, was significantly improved by administration of mirtazapine. Biochemical examinations by high performance liquid chromatography and western blot analysis suggested mirtazapine facilitated utilization of dopamine by increasing turnover and protein expression of transporters, without affecting on neurodegenerative process by MPTP. These therapeutic effects of mirtazapine were reduced by administration of WAY100635, an inhibitor for 5HT1AR, or of clonidine, a selective agonist for α2-NAR, or of prazosin, an inhibitor for α1-NAR, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results showed mirtazapine had a therapeutic potency against PD in a mouse model. Because PD patients sometimes show depression together, it will be a useful drug for a future PD treatment.
authors: Naoto
authors: N
authors: Kadoguchi
authors: Shinji
authors: S
authors: Okabe
authors: Yukio
authors: Y
authors: Yamamura
authors: Misaki
authors: M
authors: Shono
authors: Tatsuya
authors: T
authors: Fukano
authors: Akie
authors: A
authors: Tanabe
authors: Hironori
authors: H
authors: Yokoyama
authors: Department of Neurobiology and Therapeutics, Institute of Health Bioscience, Graduate School and Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokushima, 1-78, Shoumachi, Tokushima 770-8505, Japan. awajiro@tokushima-u.ac.jp.
authors: Jiro
authors: J
authors: Kasahara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D020267:MPTP Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008803:Mianserin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D000078785:Mirtazapine; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D008803:Mianserin; D000078785:Mirtazapine