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Updated: Aug 18, 2026

The 6-hydroxydopamine Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease
Published on: October 27, 2021
Atomoxetine blocks motor hyperactivity in neonatal 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats: implications for treatment of
Taylor Moran-Gates1, Kehong Zhang, Ross J Baldessarini
1Mailman Research Center, McLean Division of Massachusetts General Hospital, Belmont, 02478, USA.
Abstract:
We recently reported that selective inhibitors of neuronal transport of norepinephrine (NE), desipramine and nisoxetine, reversed motor hyperactivity in an animal model of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In this study, we examined behavioural effects of atomoxetine, a potent new NE reuptake blocker, in juvenile male rats with neonatal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions of dopamine projections to the forebrain. 6-OHDA (100 microg) was administered intracisternally on postnatal day (PD) 5 following desipramine (25 mg/kg s.c.) pretreatment to protect noradrenergic neurons. Atomoxetine (1 mg/kg) was given intraperitoneally before recording motor activity for 90 min at PD 23-26 in a novel environment. Atomoxetine greatly reduced motor hyperactivity in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats while exhibiting transient sedative effects in sham controls. The observed effects in this animal model for ADHD are consistent with the emerging clinical use of atomoxetine as a novel, non-stimulant treatment for ADHD.
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