L-DOPA reverses motor deficits associated with normal aging in mice

NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS

卷:489

Article

Allen, Erika¹  Carlson, Kirsten M.²  Zigmond, Michael J.²  Cavanaugh, Jane E.^1,2 

[1] Duquesne Univ, Dept Pharmacol, Pittsburgh, PA 15282 USA

[2] Univ Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Inst Neurodegenerat Dis, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 USA

关键词: Behavior;    Dopamine;    Striatum;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.neulet.2010.11.054

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

We wished to determine whether L-DOPA, a common treatment for the motor deficits in Parkinson's disease, could also reverse the motor deficits that occur during aging. We assessed motor performance in young (2-3 months) and old (20-21 months) male C57BL/6 mice using the challenge beam and cylinder tests. Prior to testing, mice were treated with L-DOPA or vehicle. Following testing, striatal tissue was analyzed for phenotypic markers of dopamine neurons: dopamine, dopamine transporter, and tyrosine hydroxylase. Although the dopaminergic markers were unchanged with age or L-DOPA treatment, L-DOPA reversed the motor deficits in the old animals such that their motor coordination was that of a young mice. These findings suggest that some of the locomotor deficits that accompany normal aging are responsive to L-DOPA treatment and may be due to subtle alterations in dopaminergic signaling. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

【 授权许可】

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