Behavioural pharmacology of glutamate in the basal ganglia

Abstract

In Parkinson's disease the dopaminergic inhibition - mediated by DA2 receptors in the triatum - is reduced. Therefore glutamatergic excitation predominates in the antero-dorsal striatum. In turn the glutamatergic neurons of the subthalamic nucleus become disinhibited. Antagonists of the NMDAsubtype of glutamate receptor injected locally into the glutamatergically innervated nuclei or competitive and non-competitive NMDA-antagonista administered systemically, counteract parkinsonian symptom in animals.