Alterations of Nigral Dopamine Levels in Parkinson’s Disease after Environmental Enrichment and PACAP Treatment in Aging Rats

The neuroprotective effects of environmental enrichment and PACAP (pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide) are well-described in Parkinson’s disease. aim our study is to investigate the beneficial these factors aging parkinsonian rats. Newborn Wistar rats were divided into standard enriched groups according their conditions. Standard animals raised under regular During first five postnatal weeks, pups placed larger cages with different objects. Aging received (1) saline, (2) 6-hydroxidopamine (6-OHDA), or (3) 6-OHDA + injections left substantia nigra (s.n.). On seventh postoperative day, right s.n. collected. young unoperated also examined experiment. We determined dopamine (DA) levels by HPLC-MS technique, while sandwich ELISA method was used measure Parkinson disease protein 7 (PARK7) levels. In healthy animals, we found an age-related decrease DA parkinsonian-enriched rats, operation did not result a significant loss. treatment could prevent loss both groups. All injured PACAP-treated showed remarkably higher protective PARK7 effect correlated increase