Nicotine Affects Striatal Glutamatergic Function in 6-OHDA Lesioned Rats

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder that is characterized by degeneration of the dopamine containing neurons located within the midbrain (substantia nigra pars corn-pacta). There is also substantial loss of dopamine within nerve terminals located within the striatum which originate from those dopamine neurons. Current therapy involves administration of the precursor to dopamine, namely l-dopa. This chemical is taken up into the brain and then converted to dopamine. Although replacement of dopamine is effective over the first few years, other movement disorders are associated with long-term l-dopa therapy9. The l-dopa induced dyskinesias limit the usefulness of this type of therapy.