Targeting striatal cholinergic interneurons in Parkinson's disease: focus on metabotropic glutamate receptors

Neuropharmacology. 2003 Jul;45(1):45-56. doi: 10.1016/s0028-3908(03)00137-0.

Abstract

In the early sixties, anticholinergic drugs were introduced in the pharmacological treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). The rationale behind their utilisation in the treatment of the disease was based on the evidence of an imbalance between the dopaminergic inputs and the intrinsic cholinergic innervation within the striatum. Metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors have been shown to play a key role in striatal function both in physiological conditions and in experimental models of diseases affecting this brain area. Indeed, compelling electrophysiological and morphological evidence shows that mGlu receptors are highly expressed at cellular level and exert a profound modulatory role on cholinergic interneurons excitability. This review will provide a brief survey of studies on the localization and function of mGlu receptors in cholinergic interneurons. The potential relevance of these findings in the control of motor function and in the treatment of PD will be discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholine / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Cholinergic Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Corpus Striatum / metabolism*
  • Corpus Striatum / pathology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dopamine / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Interneurons / drug effects
  • Interneurons / metabolism*
  • Interneurons / physiology
  • Parkinson Disease / metabolism*
  • Parkinson Disease / pathology
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2 / agonists
  • Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / drug effects
  • Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cholinergic Antagonists
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2
  • Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate
  • Acetylcholine
  • Dopamine

Grants and funding