Marked locomotor stimulation in monoamine-depleted mice following treatment with atropine in combination with clonidine

Maria Carlsson and A. Carlsson

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Abstract

The present study demonstrates that the muscarinic antagonist atropine and the agr-adrenergic agonist clonidine, though ineffective when administered separately, produced a pronounced locomotor stimulation in monoamine-depleted mice when combined. The atropine + clonidine-induced locomotor stimulation was counteracted by both the agr2-adrenoceptor antagonist idazoxan and the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor physostigmine. Thus, it is clear that simultaneous manipulations with cholinergic and adrenergic systems are as effective in restoring locomotion in monoamine-depleted mice as increasing central dopaminergic tone. This finding may have implications for the treatment of a movement disorder like Parkinson's disease.

Keywords  Atropine - clonidine - locomotion - mouse - Parkinson's disease

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