Proposal of a new model with dopaminergic-cholinergic interactions for neuropharmacological investigations

The motor system of Dugesia gonocephala shows a striking similarity with the extrapyramidal system of high vertebrates and of man with the evidence of correlations between dopaminergic and cholinergic neurons. The utilization of this model seems to be useful in testing drugs which presumably act on dopaminergic or cholinergic transmission. In this model, the quantification of animal behaviour seems considerably easier when compared with the difficulties met in other animal models commonly employed. Besides, it might be anticipated that this model, if correctly used, can display interesting perspectives also in neuroendocrinological investigations.