Comparative Effects of Chronic Haloperidol and Sulpiride Treatment on Nigral and Striatal GABA Content |
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| Authors: | Ferdinando Nicoletti Francesco Patti† Daniele Filippo Condorelil† Liborio Rampello† Giovanni Giammona† Rosa-Maria Di Giorgio‡ Pier Luigi Canonico Umberto Scapagnini |
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| Institution: | Departments of Pharmacology University of Catania, Catania.;Departments of Neurology University of Catania, Catania.;Institute of Biochemistry, University of Messina, Messina, Italy. |
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| Abstract: | Nigral and striatal GABA contents were assayed in male rats treated chronically with haloperidol or sulpiride, two dopamine-receptor blocking agents that have different neuropharmacological spectra in regard to their biochemical, behavioural, and clinical properties. No great difference was observed between the chronic effects of haloperidol and sulpiride on nigral and striatal GABA content. However, low doses (30 μg/kg, intraperitoneally) of the dopamine-receptor agonist apomorphine, injected 12 h after the discontinuation of chronic haloperidol or chronic sulpiride treatment, induced opposite changes in nigral GABA levels suggesting the existence of a different “status” of the dopamine receptors during the 12 h-period following the withdrawal of haloperidol or sulpiride. |
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| Keywords: | Haloperidol Sulpiride Apomorphine GABA Corpus Striatum Substantia nigra |
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