Effect of long-term administration of pergolide and (-)-deprenyl on age related decline in hole board activity and antioxidant enzymes in rats.

The putative neuroprotective drugs (-)-deprenyl and pergolide were administ ered to rats from 3 to 19 months of age and effects on activity in the Hole Board apparatus monitored. The antioxidant enzymes catalase, glutathione p eroxidase (GPx) and CuZn superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the striatum were me asured at 6 and 12 months. There was a pronounced age related decrease in l ine crossing, head dipping and rearing in the control, animals. At 6 months the pergolide treated group were more active in line crossing than their c ontrols, and the (-)-deprenyl treated group were less active. However by 19 months there was no difference between either drug treated group and its c ontrols in any activity. In control animals here was a significant decrease in both catalase and CuZnSOD between 6 and 12 months, but not in GPx. Both drugs caused a significant increase in catalase, after both 6 and 12 month s, but had no effect on CuZn SOD and GPx activity. Thus there was a dissoci ation between effects on locomotor activity and antioxidant enzyme inductio n. The only potentially neuroprotective effect caused by these drugs was an induction of catalase.