PMID: 10704746: Riluzole possible alternative to dopamine: MPTP monkey trials

[janet paterson <janet313@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Effects of riluzole on the electrophysiological activity of pallidal neurons
in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-treated monkey.

The effect of riluzole administration, an antiglutamatergic compound, on the 
electrophysiological activity of the pallidal complex of 
1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated monkeys is compared 
with those induced by two dosages of levodopa (L-DOPA), the first affording the 
best clinical alleviation, the second sufficient to induce dyskinesias.

Both dosages of L-DOPA reduced sharply the firing frequency of globus pallidus 
pars internalis (GPi) neurons (respectively, 43.8+/-23.0 and 27.4+/-20.2 vs. 
111.2+/-31.4 Hz), decreased the percentage of bursting cells (respectively, 
60.7 and 50.0 vs. 80.3%) and augmented the number of regular cells 
(respectively, 6.5 and 33.0 vs. 4.8%).

Riluzole restored the firing frequency (75.0+/-26.9 Hz) and the firing pattern 
of the GPi (39.7% bursting, 9.5% regular and 50.8% irregular).

These results suggest that the emergence of dyskinesia may well be due to a 
modification of the neuronal messages transmitted from the GPi to the motor 
nuclei of the thalamus.

Riluzole would represent an interesting alternative to dopamine therapy in 
Parkinson's disease since it regularizes firing but does not cause dyskinesia.


Neurosci Lett 2000 Mar 10;281(2-3):75-78
Boraud T, Bezard E, Stutzmann JM, Bioulac B, Gross CE
Basal Gang, CNRS UMR 5543, Universite Victor Segalen-Bordeaux 2, 146 rue Leo
Saignat, 33076 Bordeaux, Cedex, France

PMID: 10704746



janet paterson
53 now / 41 dx / 37 onset
a new voice: 
613 256 8340 PO Box 171 Almonte Ontario Canada K0A 1A0