Antiparkinsonian drugs and dopaminergic neostriatal mechanisms: Studies in rats with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (=6-OH-DA)-induced degeneration of the nigro-neostriatal da pathway and quantitative recording of rotational behaviour

Abstract

The results of the present study illustrate the importance of using rotational behavior in rats with a unilateral 6-OH-DA-induced degeneration of the nigro-neostriatal DA system as an index of neostriatal DA receptor activity, particularly when combined with turnover analysis of DA. In this way it has been possible to develop new drugs that can be useful in the treatment of parkinsonian patients such as piribedil, ergot alkaloid derivatives and to obtain evidence that not only dopa but also m-tyrosine can be a powerful antiparkinsonian agent.