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The dopamine-depleting effect of 6-hydroxydopamine does not increase with aging
G A Ricaurte1, L E DeLanney, K T Finnegan
1Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205.
Abstract:
The dopamine-depleting effects of intracerebroventricularly administered 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) were studied in young mature (6-8 weeks), older (8-12 months) and aged (18-24 months) mice. No differences were noted between age groups. To rule out the possibility that higher levels of monoamine oxidase (which degrades 6-OHDA) in older animals might be masking an increased sensitivity of older neurons to 6-OHDA, experiments were repeated after treatment with pargyline (50 mg/kg). Again, no differences between age groups were noted. We conclude that aging does not increase the sensitivity of dopaminergic neurons to 6-OHDA.