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Parity decreases methamphetamine-induced striatal dopaminergic perturbation

Dean E Dluzen1

  • 1Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine and Pharmacy, 4209 State Route 44, P.O. Box 95, Rootstown, OH 44272-0095, USA. ded@neoucom.edu

Neurochemistry International
|June 23, 2011
PubMed

The role of parity upon methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity of the striatal dopaminergic system was assessed. Female CD-1 mice either remained nulliparous or underwent one or three complete pregnancies and were designated as the 0, 1 or 3 pregnancy groups. The mice were then treated with a neurotoxic regimen of methamphetamine (MA--40 mg/kg) or its saline vehicle (control) and striatal dopamine (DA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) levels were measured at 7-days post-MA. Basal levels of striatal DA, DOPAC and the DOPAC/DA ratio were similar among the saline (control) 0, 1 and 3 pregnancy groups. In response to MA, striatal DA and DOPAC were significantly decreased in the 0 and 1 pregnancy as compared with the control group. Mice with 3 pregnancies showed DA and DOPAC levels that did not differ from controls and were significantly greater than the 0 pregnancy group. The DOPAC/DA ratios of the 0 pregnancy group were significantly greater than all other groups (control, 1 and 3 pregnancy) which failed to differ among each other. These results demonstrate that parity decreases MA-induced striatal dopaminergic neurotoxicity, and the degree of this neuroprotection is related to the number of pregnancies experienced.

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