Excitatory amino acid antagonists and Parkinson's disease [Reply to letter to the editor]

Abstract

Girault et al. draw similar conclusions from their studies of the regulation of protein phosphorylation by dopamine and glutamate in striatonigral neurones as we did on the basis of behavioural findings, i.e. that dopamine and glutamate may exert opposite effects within the neostriatum. Admittedly, this view is oversimplified, but this transmitter balance does seem to be relevant to the parkinsonian symptoms akinesia and rigidity.