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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Melatonin attenuates tyrosine hydroxylase loss and hypolocomotion in MPTP-lesioned rats

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Author(s):
Capitelli, Caroline ; Sereniki, Adriana ; Santos Lima, Marcelo Meira [1] ; Reksidler, Angela Braga ; Tufik, Sergio [1] ; Barbato Frazao Vital, Maria Aparecida [2]
Total Authors: 6
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Psicobiol, Sao Paulo - Brazil
[2] Univ Fed Parana, Dept Farmacol, Setor Ciencias Biol, BR-81531990 Curitiba, Parana - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 2
Document type: Journal article
Source: European Journal of Pharmacology; v. 594, n. 1-3, p. 101-108, OCT 10 2008.
Web of Science Citations: 46
Abstract

Parkinson's disease is a chronic neurological disease characterized by dopaminergic neuron degeneration in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant agent secreted by the pineal gland which has numerous physiological functions and seems to exert an important neuroprotective effect. The 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) model has been used to understand the pathophysiology of the disease because of its capacity to mimic biochemical and histological features observed in Parkinson's disease. This study investigated the effect of pretreatment with melatonin (50 mg/kg) on MPTP-lesioned animals 24 h and 7 days after neurotoxin infusion using the open-field test, two-way avoidance task and immunohistochemistry. Twenty-four hours after lesioning, the MPTP+vehicle group exhibited hypolocomotion and significant loss of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive cells, whereas no differences in these parameters were observed in lesioned animals receiving melatonin. Seven days after surgery, the MPTP-lesioned rats did not show hypolocomotion compared to control animals, while there was a significant dopaminergic neuronal loss. In the two-way avoidance task, MPTP-treated animals presented a cognitive deficit compared to the control groups and melatonin administration did not repair this defect. The present results suggest that melatonin reduces neuronal loss in the MPTP animal model of Parkinson's disease. (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier B.V. (AU)