Dopaminergic hypersensitivity in patients with Parkinson disease and migraine

Because migraine has been associated with dopaminergic receptor hypersensitivity, the authors hypothesized that patients with Parkinson disease with current or prior migraine have better dopaminergic response and less motor disability than Parkinson disease patients without migraine. Twenty-eight patients with Parkinson disease were included and matched (10 patients with migraine and 18 patients without migraine). Patients with Parkinson disease and migraine showed greater motor improvement during the ON state than patients without migraine with the same medication exposure. These data support the hypothesis that migraine may be associated with dopaminergic hypersensitivity.     

Autonomic dysfunction in Parkinson disease and animal models

Clinical Autonomic Research - Parkinson disease has traditionally been classified as a movement disorder, despite patients’ accounts of diverse symptoms stemming from impairments in numerous...     

Dopaminergic function and dopamine transporter binding assessed with positron emission tomography in Parkinson disease

BACKGROUND: Measuring progression of Parkinson disease (PD) using positron emission tomography may help demonstrate the efficacy of neuroprotective treatments. To date, (18)F-dopa has been the gold standard to measure presynaptic dopaminergic function in PD, but this tracer might overestimate the rate of neuronal death in PD because its uptake also depends on dopamine turnover rather than exclusively on the density of dopaminergic terminals in the striatum. The latter might be assessed using newly developed ligands of the membrane dopamine transporter. OBJECTIVE: To compare the striatal uptakes of (18)F-dopa and (76)Br-FE-CBT, a dopamine transporter ligand, in patients with PD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The striatal uptakes of (76)Br-FE-CBT and (18)F-dopa were compared using positron emission tomography in 10 patients with early PD and 8 with advanced PD. Correlation of uptakes with motor performance was investigated. RESULTS: The reduction in (76)Br-FE-CBT binding to 43% of control values was more severe than the reduction in (18)F-dopa uptake (63% of control values) in the putamen of patients with early PD. No significant difference was found between either tracer's uptake in the putamen of patients with advanced PD. Motor performance was highly correlated to (18)F-dopa uptake, whereas correlation to (76)Br-FE-CBT binding was weak. CONCLUSIONS: Uptake of (18)F-dopa may be up-regulated in early PD, suggesting a compensatory increase of dopamine synthesis in surviving dopaminergic terminals. Positron emission tomography dopamine transporter ligands and (18)F-dopa give complementary information on the presynaptic status of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system and might be associated to investigate the efficacy of neuroprotective treatments in PD.     

In-vivo rodent models for the experimental investigation of prenatal immune activation effects in neurodevelopmental brain disorders

Based on the epidemiological association between maternal infection during pregnancy and enhanced risk of neurodevelopmental brain disorders in the offspring, a number of in-vivo models have been established in rats and mice in order to study this link on an experimental basis. These models provide indispensable experimental tools to test the hypothesis of causality in human epidemiological associations, and to explore the critical neuroimmunological and developmental factors involved in shaping the vulnerability to infection-induced neurodevelopmental disturbances in humans. Here, we summarize the findings derived from numerous in-vivo models of prenatal infection and/or immune activation in rats and mice, including models of exposure to influenza virus, bacterial endotoxin, viral-like acute phase responses and specific pro-inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, we discuss the methodological aspects of these models in relation to their practical implementation and their translatability to the human condition. We highlight that these models can successfully examine the influence of the precise timing of maternal immune activation, the role of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and the contribution of gene–environment interactions in the association between prenatal immune challenge and postnatal brain dysfunctions. Finally, we discuss that in-vivo models of prenatal immune activation offer a unique opportunity to establish and evaluate early preventive interventions aiming to reduce the risk of long-lasting brain dysfunctions following prenatal exposure to infection.     

Neuroprotective effects of phytocannabinoid-based medicines in experimental models of Huntington's disease

We studied whether combinations of botanical extracts enriched in either Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ(9)-THC) or cannabidiol (CBD), which are the main constituents of the cannabis-based medicine Sativex, provide neuroprotection in rat models of Huntington's disease (HD). We used rats intoxicated with 3-nitropropionate (3NP) that were given combinations of Δ(9)-THC- and CBD-enriched botanical extracts. The issue was also studied in malonate-lesioned rats. The administration of Δ(9)-THC- and CBD-enriched botanical extracts combined in a ratio of 1:1 as in Sativex attenuated 3NP-induced GABA deficiency, loss of Nissl-stained neurons, down-regulation of CB(1) receptor and IGF-1 expression, and up-regulation of calpain expression, whereas it completely reversed the reduction in superoxide dismutase-1 expression. Similar responses were generally found with other combinations of Δ(9)-THC- and CBD-enriched botanical extracts, suggesting that these effects are probably related to the antioxidant and CB(1) and CB(2) receptor-independent properties of both phytocannabinoids. In fact, selective antagonists for both receptor types, i.e., SR141716 and AM630, respectively, were unable to prevent the positive effects on calpain expression caused in 3NP-intoxicated rats by the 1:1 combination of Δ(9)-THC and CBD. Finally, this combination also reversed the up-regulation of proinflammatory markers such as inducible nitric oxide synthase observed in malonate-lesioned rats. In conclusion, this study provides preclinical evidence in support of a beneficial effect of the cannabis-based medicine Sativex as a neuroprotective agent capable of delaying disease progression in HD, a disorder that is currently poorly managed in the clinic, prompting an urgent need for clinical trials with agents showing positive results in preclinical studies.     

Dopaminergic modulation of memory and affective processing in Parkinson depression

Depression is common in Parkinson's disease and is associated with cognitive impairment. Dopaminergic medications are effective in treating the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease; however, little is known regarding the effects of dopaminergic pharmacotherapy on cognitive function in depressed Parkinson patients. This study examines the neuropsychological effects of dopaminergic pharmacotherapy in Parkinsonian depression. We compared cognitive function in depressed and non-depressed Parkinson patients at two time-points: following overnight withdrawal and after the usual morning regimen of dopaminergic medications. A total of 28 non-demented, right-handed patients with mild to moderate idiopathic Parkinson's disease participated. Ten of these patients were depressed according to DSM IV criteria. Results revealed a statistically significant interaction between depression and medication status on three measures of verbal memory and a facial affect naming task. In all cases, depressed Parkinson's patients performed significantly more poorly while on dopaminergic medication than while off. The opposite pattern emerged for the non-depressed Parkinson's group. The administration of dopaminergic medication to depressed Parkinson patients may carry unintended risks.     

Establishing motor disorder mouse models of Parkinson disease——Comparison of 6-hydroxydompamine and l-methyl-4-phenyl-l,2,3,6-tetrahdropyridine

BACKGROUND: At present, pathogenesis and mechanism of Parkinson disease (PD) are still unclear. Animal models of PD are essential tools in studies on etiology and therapy and should mimic the chronic pathological process, histological characteristics and motor behavior dysfunction. In recent years, transgenic mice have been widely utilized to study the mechanism of PD, and it has become imperative that a PD mouse model of motor behavioral dysfunction be established. OBJECTIVE: To compare the behavioral and histochemical characters of two neurotoxic mice model induced with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) or 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6 -tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), and a better method to mimic Parkinson disease will be found out. DESIGN: Parallel experiment. SETTING: Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Department of Medical Genetics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. MATERIALS: Sixty 129Sv/C57BL6J male wild mice, SPF grade, 8–12 weeks old, weighing 20–25 g, were provided by Experimental Animal Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. All the surgery operation was performed according to the rules of Shanghai Jiaotong University Animal Committee. METHODS: The experiment was carried out in the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics (National Key Laboratory), Department of Medical Genetics, Shanghai Jiao Ttong University from March to August 2006. ① Thirty-two male mice were randomly divided into control group and drug treatment group with 16 mice in each group. Surgery was carried out and 6-OHDA was administrated to substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and nigra-striatum pathway according to the different parameters with intoxication apparatus. Saline was injected to the other 16 mice according to the same paradigm. 1 mg/kg apomorphine was injected intraperitoneally 2 weeks later after surgery to induce the imbalanced rotation behavior for 40 minutes. ② Twenty-eight mice were randomly divided into 4 groups with 7 in each group, including low-dose, moderate-dose, high-dose groups and negative control group. Then, mice in the drug treatment group were injected intraperitoneally with 5, 10 and 15 mg/kg MPTP for 9 successive days. In addition, mice in the control group were injected with the same volume of saline for 9 days. Pole test and stride length test were utilized to detect coordinative behavioral dysfunction. Mice were sacrificed 20 days after MPTP treatment, and histochemical staining of tyrosine hydroxynase (TH) was used to observe the loss of dopaminergic neuron in SNpc. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Success ratio of each model establishment method; ② inducible asymmetric cycle behavior test 2 weeks after 6-OHDA injection; ③ behavioral dysfunction in pole test and stride length, morphological changes in brain tissue. RESULTS: Totally sixty mice were used in this experiment and 3 mice were excluded because of the hypersensitivity or the clumsy reaction in motor behavioral detection before MPTP treatment, therefore, data was analyzed with the rest 57 mice. ① Lethal ratio: Three out of 16 mice died in striatum injection group and 5 out of 16 mice died in nigro-striatal pathway group. No mouse died in MPTP treatment groups. ② Locomotor behavior: No dysfunction of locomotor was found in 6-OHDA treatment groups. However, several motor behavioral dysfunction were start to present at the 4th day of MPTP injection. ③ Asymmetric cycle behavior: No asymmetric cycle was induced successfully two weeks after 6-OHDA surgery. Mice show hypersensitive behavior 10 minutes after apomorphine injection, which lasted for about 20 minutes. ④ Pole test: From the 4th day of MPTP treatment, mice started to display coordinate dysfunction, such as climbing down along the pole in spiral, moving slowly with hesitation. Some mice could not grab the pole and slide down along the pole at 4th day post injection. Comparing with 0 dose control group, all the three drug treatment groups show significant different dysfunction from the 4th day to the 20th day post injection (P < 0.01). ⑤ stride length test: Mice's stride length decreased, when treated with MPTP, and the mice in the high dose group displayed obviously. ⑥ Dopaminergic neuron stained with TH in nigra pars compacta: The results indicated that administrated MPTP (from low dose to high dose) by intraperitoneal cause chronic lesions on the dopaminergic neuron in the SNpc. CONCLUSION: PD mice models induced with 6-OHDA show high mortality ratio and no asymmetric cycle was found after apomorphine injection. However, injection of MPTP intraperitoneally can simulate the chronic pathway of PD, typical histological changes are found and stable motor behavioral dysfunctions are displayed.     

Dopaminergic deficiency is more pronounced in putamen than in nucleus caudatus in Parkinson’s disease

Six human control brains and three parkinsonian brains were sectioned coronally and analyzed by means of high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection for their anteroposterior distribution of dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NA) in the following nuclei: nucleus caudatus, putamen, and nucleus accumbens. A severe depletion of DA was noted throughout the anteroposterior gradient in the putamen of the parkinsonian brains (less than 5% of controls), whereas the reductions were moderate in nucleus caudatus and nucleus accumbens. In the nucleus caudatus and nucleus accumbens of the parkinsonian brains, the reductions of DA content were most prominent in the most anterior parts. Generally, the concentrations of NA did not differ significantly between the controls and the parkinsonian brains.     

Nerve growth factor levels in Parkinson disease and experimental parkinsonian rats

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is well established for its ability to promote growth and survival for specific neuronal populations. However, its participation in the pathogenesis of human nervous system disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD) remains to be resolved. This study examined NGF levels in the serum of healthy persons, in patients with PD and in parkinsonian rats using a double site immune-enzymatic assay (EIA) with the murine 27/21 anti-beta-NGF monoclonal antibody. PD patients were divided in two groups according to the stages of the disease (Grade: I-II and Grade: III-IV of Hoenh and Yahr scale). NGF levels in parkinsonian rats showed significant (P<0.01) reductions when compared with serum from normal animals. The NGF levels in early states of the disease (Grade I-II) showed greater reductions (P<0.01) in comparison to those with advanced stages (Grade III-IV). We consider that alterations in NGF levels may reflect ongoing neurodegenerative processes in PD.     

Antiparkinsonian effects of remacemide hydrochloride,a glutamate antagonist,in rodent and primate models of Parkinson's disease

Loss of dopaminergic innervation of the striatum results in overactivity of the glutamatergic pathways from the subthalamic nucleus to the internal segment of the globus pallidus and the substantia nigra pars reticulata, the output nuclei of the basal ganglia. Previous work has shown that local blockade of glutamate receptors in the internal segment of the globus pallidus or substantia nigra pars reticulata leads to marked suppression of parkinsonian signs. We have now examined whether systemic administration of a glutamate receptor antagonist has antiparkinsonian effects in rodent and primate models of Parkinson's disease. Remacemide hydrochloride is an anticonvulsant, neuroprotective compound with antagonist activity at the N-methyl-D -aspartate receptor ion channel. In normal rats and monoaminedepleted rats, remacemide hydrochloride did not cause locomotor hyperactivity, unlike MK-801. When monoaminedepleted rats were treated with a subthreshold dose of levodopa methylester, remacemide hydrochloride (5–40mg/kg, orally) caused a dose-dependent increase in locomotor activity. Moreover, remacemide hydrochloride (10 mg/kg, orally) potentiated the effects of each suprathreshold dose of levodopa methylester tested (100–200 mg/kg, intraperitoneally). Parkinsonian rhesus monkeys were tested with oral doses of vehicle plus vehicle, vehicle plus levodopa-carbidopa, and remacemide hydrochloride (5 mg/kg) plus levodopa-carbidopa. Blinded clinical scoring of videotapes revealed that treatment with remacemide hydrochloride plus levodopa-carbidopa was substantially better than levodopa-carbidopa plus vehicle or vehicle plus vehicle. The effects of remacemide hydrochloride lasted at least 5 hours. We conclude that certain N-methyl-D -aspartate receptor antagonists have antiparkinsonian actions and low potential for side effects. Clinical trials of remacemide hydrochloride in patients with Parkinson's disease may be warranted.     

Abnormalities of cerebral oxidative metabolism in animal models of Parkinson disease

Abnormalities of cerebral oxidative metabolism were investigated in "animal models" of Parkinson disease by in situ optical measurements of local cerebral blood volume and cytochrome oxidase redox shifts in rats two weeks after unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the substantia nigra with or without interruption of ascending noradrenergic pathways. The data demonstrate oxidative metabolic dysfunction of ipsilateral cerebral hemispheres caused by lesions that involve both dopaminergic and noradrenergic systems but not when dopaminergic neurons only are affected. We speculate that the dementia of Parkinson disease may be more prevalent when degeneration of catecholaminergic systems is widespread and not restricted to the dopaminergic system.     

Antagonism by piperidine of levodopa effects in Parkinson disease

The nicotinic cholinergic amine piperidine diminished both the dyskinesia and the symptomatic control in some patients with Parkinson disease receiving levodopa. Since the piperdine configuration is contained in the molecules of the apomorphine and N-propylnoraporphine, it might be responsible for the antagonism of these drugs to some effects of levodopa in Parkinson disease and for the palliation by apomorphine of some dopamine-mediated symptoms in other extrapyramidal disorders.     

粉防己碱和还原型谷胱甘肽治疗帕金森病大鼠模型的实验研究

目的 观察粉防己碱合用还原型谷胱甘肽对帕金森病(Parkinson's disease,PD)大鼠模型脑内多巴胺及代谢产物的影响并探讨其作用机制.方法 采用6-羟基多巴立体定向注射制作PD大鼠模型,将成功模型随机分为4组未治疗组(生理盐水)组,谷胱甘肽加粉防己碱(GSH Tet)组,谷胱甘肽(GSH)组,左旋多巴(L-dopa)组及正常对照组,分别腹腔注射上述药物共50 d,给药结束后观察大鼠旋转行为,测定各组大鼠脑纹状体单胺氧化酶B(MAO-B),高效液相色谱-电化学仪测定纹状体多巴胺(DA),高香草酸(HVA),3,4-二羟基苯乙酸(DOPAC)水平及DA的代谢率(HVA/DA).结果 ①GSH合用Tet能显著改善模型大鼠旋转行为[(7.72±2.05)r/min vs (12.39±3.20)r/min,P＜0.05].②GSH Tet组的DA、HVA、DOPAC含量明显高于其他对照组,且其DA,HVA含量与GSH组比较有统计学差异(P＜0.05).③GSH Tet组的HVA/DA(11.48±1.08)及MAO-B活性[(10.5±2.50)U/h/mgprot]明显低于其他治疗组,与GSH组比较均有统计学差异(P＜0.05).结论 粉防己碱合用还原型谷胱甘肽能增强对PD大鼠的神经保护作用.     

NGF in experimental models of parkinson disease

We have now applied the enzyme immunoassay using anti-NGF monoclonal antibody (MAb) 27/21 and a blocking test validating the specificity of the immunoreactivity for NGF in serum samples to examine NGF levels in normal rat sera, hemiparkinsonian rat sera, normal monkey sera, and MPTP-treated monkey sera. The levels of NGF in treated animals showed reductions when compared with serum from normal animals. The NGF level alterations observed in lesioned animals and in human parkinsonian patients evidence a relationship between this neurotrophic factor and the neurodegenerative changes observed in Parkinson disease (PD).     

NGF in experimental models of parkinson disease

We have now applied the enzyme immunoassay using anti-NGF monoclonal antibody (MAb) 27/21 and a blocking test validating the specificity of the immunoreactivity for NGF in serum samples to examine NGF levels in normal rat sera, hemiparkinsonian rat sera, normal monkey sera, and MPTP-treated monkey sera. The levels of NGF in treated animals showed reductions when compared with serum from normal animals. The NGF level alterations observed in lesioned animals and in human parkinsonian patients evidence a relationship between this neurotrophic factor and the neurodegenerative changes observed in Parkinson disease (PD).     

Identification of oligodendrocytes in experimental disease models

The ability to identify oligodendrocytes in culture, in fixed tissue, and in vivo using unique markers is a requisite step to understanding their responses in any damage, recovery, or developmental process. Their nuclei are readily seen in histological preparations of healthy white and gray matter, and their cell bodies can be reliably identified with a variety of immunocytochemical markers. However, there is little consensus regarding optimal methods to assess oligodendrocyte survival or morphology under experimental injury conditions. We review common approaches for histological and immunocytochemical identification of these cells. Transgenic and viral methods for cell type-selective transfer of genes encoding fluorescent proteins offer promising new approaches for manipulating and visualizing oligodendrocytes in models of health and disease.     

Dopaminergic effects on simple and choice reaction time performance in Parkinson's disease

The present study examined whether premovement central neural processing in Parkinson's disease was related to functional motor disability and plasma L-dopa concentration. Reaction time (RT) performance in simple and choice RT tasks was assessed while plasma L-dopa levels were controlled by continuous IV L-dopa infusion in five parkinsonian patients. Five age-matched controls performed the same RT tasks for comparison. Simple RT for the patients was longer than the normal control RT at all infusion levels (p less than or equal to 0.005). However, choice RT was normal when the patients were "on," but became prolonged as plasma L-dopa levels decreased (p less than or equal to 0.01). The results show that there are abnormalities of premovement central neural processing in Parkinson's disease, and that simple and choice RTs are differentially affected by L-dopa replacement. This suggests that different neural mechanisms may be involved in the processing of these tasks.