Imidazoline I1 receptor-mediated reduction of muscle rigidity in the reserpine-treated murine model of Parkinson's disease

"Hyperglutamatergic cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical circuit" breaker drugs alleviate tics in a transgenic circuit model of Tourette׳s syndrome

The brain circuits underlying tics in Tourette׳s syndrome (TS) are unknown but thought to involve cortico/amygdalo-striato-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) loop hyperactivity. We previously engineered a transgenic mouse "circuit model" of TS by expressing an artificial neuropotentiating transgene (encoding the cAMP-elevating, intracellular A1 subunit of cholera toxin) within a small population of dopamine D1 receptor-expressing somatosensory cortical and limbic neurons that hyperactivate cortico/amygdalostriatal glutamatergic output circuits thought to be hyperactive in TS and comorbid obsessive-compulsive (OC) disorders. As in TS, these D1CT-7 ("Ticcy") transgenic mice׳s tics were alleviated by the TS drugs clonidine and dopamine D2 receptor antagonists; and their chronic glutamate-excited striatal motor output was unbalanced toward hyperactivity of the motoric direct pathway and inactivity of the cataleptic indirect pathway. Here we have examined whether these mice׳s tics are countered by drugs that "break" sequential elements of their hyperactive cortical/amygdalar glutamatergic and efferent striatal circuit: anti-serotonoceptive and anti-noradrenoceptive corticostriatal glutamate output blockers (the serotonin 5-HT2a,c receptor antagonist ritanserin and the NE alpha-1 receptor antagonist prazosin); agmatinergic striatothalamic GABA output blockers (the presynaptic agmatine/imidazoline I1 receptor agonist moxonidine); and nigrostriatal dopamine output blockers (the presynaptic D2 receptor agonist bromocriptine). Each drug class alleviates tics in the Ticcy mice, suggesting a hyperglutamatergic CSTC "tic circuit" could exist in TS wherein cortical/amygdalar pyramidal projection neurons׳ glutamatergic overexcitation of both striatal output neurons and nigrostriatal dopaminergic modulatory neurons unbalances their circuit integration to excite striatothalamic output and create tics, and illuminating new TS drug strategies.

Behavioural, neurochemical and neuroendocrine effects of the endogenous β-carboline harmane in fear-conditioned rats

The putative endogenous imidazoline binding site ligand harmane enhances neuronal activation in response to psychological stress and alters behaviour in animal models of anxiety and antidepressant efficacy. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying harmane's psychotropic effects are poorly understood. We investigated the effects of intraperitoneal injection of harmane (2.5 and 10 mg/kg) on fear-conditioned behaviour, hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, and monoaminergic activity within specific fear-associated areas of the rat brain. Harmane had no significant effect on the duration of contextually induced freezing or 22 kHz ultrasonic vocalisations and did not alter the contextually induced suppression of motor activity, including rearing. Harmane reduced the duration of rearing and tended to increase freezing in non-fear-conditioned controls, suggesting potential sedative effects. Harmane increased plasma ACTH and corticosterone concentrations, and serotonin (in hypothalamus, amygdaloid cortex, prefrontal cortex and hippocampus) and noradrenaline (prefrontal cortex) content, irrespective of fear-conditioning. Furthermore, harmane reduced dopamine and serotonin turnover in the PFC and hypothalamus, and serotonin turnover in the amygdaloid cortex in both fear-conditioned and non-fear-conditioned rats. In contrast, harmane increased dopamine and noradrenaline content and reduced dopamine turnover in the amygdala of fear-conditioned rats only, suggesting differential effects on catecholaminergic transmission in the presence and absence of fear. The precise mechanism(s) mediating these effects of harmane remain to be determined but may involve its inhibitory action on monoamine oxidases. These findings support a role for harmane as a neuromodulator, altering behaviour, brain neurochemistry and neuroendocrine function.

The 5-HT1A-receptor agonist flibanserin reduces drug-induced dyskinesia in RGS9-deficient mice

Drug-induced dyskinesia is a major complication of dopamine replacement therapy in advanced Parkinson's disease consisting of dystonia, chorea and athetosis. Agonists at 5-HT1A-receptors attenuate levodopa-induced motor complications in non-human primates. Mice with increased dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) signalling due to the lack of expression of the regulator of G-protein signalling 9 (RGS9) also develop dyskinesia following levodopa treatment. We investigated whether the 5-HT1A-receptor agonist flibanserin compared with buspirone reduces motor abnormalities induced by levodopa or quinelorane, a selective dopamine D2-receptor agonist. Following dopamine depletion via reserpine, 40 mice (20 wild-type and 20 RGS9 knock-out) were treated with flibanserin or buspirone in combination with levodopa or quinelorane. Motor behaviour was analysed using open field analysis. RGS9 knock-out mice displayed significantly more drug-induced dystonia (p < 0.04; t test) than wild type. In quinelorane-treated wild-type mice flibanserin as well as buspirone significantly reduced dystonia (p < 0.05). In RGS9 knock-out animals again both reduced quinelorane-induced dystonia. However, flibanserin was significantly more effective (p = 0.003). Following reserpine pretreatment and administration of levodopa wild-type and RGS 9 knock-out mice showed mild to moderate dystonia. Surprisingly, 10 mg/kg buspirone increased dystonia in both animal groups, whereas it was decreased by 10 mg/kg flibanserin. However, compared with levodopa alone only the increase of dystonia by buspirone was significant (p < 0.04). Flibanserin showed promising antidyskinetic effects in a model of drug-induced dyskinesia. Our data underline the possible benefit of 5-HT1A agonists in drug-induced dyskinesia.