THE DOPAMINE AGONISTS LISURIDE AND PIRIBEDIL PROTECT AGAINST BEHAVIORAL AND HISTOLOGICAL-CHANGES FOLLOWING 4-VESSEL OCCLUSION IN THE RAT

The 4-vessel occlusion model of ischaemia in the rat was used to asses s the effects of two dopaminergic agonists, lisuride and piribedil, on some behavioural and histological changes. Animals were either sham-o perated, subjected to 20 min 4-vessel occlusion, or administered lisur ide (0.5 mg/kg i.p.) or piribedil (10 mg/kg i.p.) 1 h before 20 min 4- vessel occlusion. Both drugs attenuated deficits in neurological testi ng, Morris water maze and 14-unit T-maze (p < 0.05). Extensive neurona l death was observed in the CA(1), CA(3) and CA(4) regions of the hipp ocampus of 4-vessel-occluded animals. Pretreatment with both lisuride and piribedil provided protection against cell death in the hippocampa l regions. These findings suggest dopamine may play a role in cerebral ischaemia and dopaminergic agonists may be beneficial in preventing i schaemia-induced neurodegeneration.