Reserpine does not induce orofacial dyskinesia in spontaneously hypertensive rats

The nigrostriatal dopaminergic system seems to be involved in both reserpine-induced orofacial dyskinesia in normal rats and in the pathogenesis of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats. In the present study, repeated reserpine administration (1.0 mg/kg, s.c., every other day, for 3 days) increased tongue protrusion and vacuous chewing frequencies as well as the duration of facial twitching in Wistar normotensive but not in spontaneously hypertensive rats. These results suggest that genetic hypertension and drug-induced orofacial movements may be inversely modulated by similar mechanisms in the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system.