Acute administration of 1-N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), a compound producing parkinsonism in humans, stimulates [2-C]deoxyglucose uptake in the regions of the catecholaminergic cell bodies in the rat and guinea pig brains

A modification of the 2-¹⁴C]deoxyglucose (2-DG) autoradiographic technique of Sokoloff et al.¹² was used to study the effects of acute administration of 1-N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) (10 mg/kg, s.c.) in the rat and guinea pig brains. MPTP administration resulted in both species in a dramatic increase in the 2-DG uptake in the substantia nigra pars compacta, ventral tegmental area and locus ceruleus, brain areas containing the cell bodies of dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurons. Many other brain areas were not affected. In the rat the effects were time dependent, being maximal between 1 and 2 h after drug administration. The effects of MPTP on 2-DG uptake differ from those of other dopaminergic or catecholaminergic drugs and suggest a specificity of the action of this drug on catecholaminergic neurons.