Lamotrigine--antiparkinsonian activity by blockade of glutamate release?

Abstract

Recent experiments provide evidence that the NMDA-antagonist MK-801 has a locomotor-stimulating effect in monoamine-depleted rodents. These findings are based upon a hypothetical pathway-circuit including the basal ganglia as a model reflecting hypo- and hyperkinetic movement disorders. We have treated 5 patients suffering from Parkinson's disease with the antiepileptic drug "lamotrigine" which does not appear to be an NMDA-antagonist but acts functionally as a glutamate antagonist by inhibition of presynaptic glutamate release.