The behavioural effects of pramipexole, a novel dopamine receptor agonist

Pramipexole (SND 919; 2-amino-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-6-propyl-amino-benzthiazole-dihydrochloride) is a novel dopamine D-2 family receptor agonist with a predominant action on D-2 autoreceptors and with some D-3 vs. D-2 receptor preference. The central behavioural effects of pramipexole given subcutaneously to rats (male Wistar) and mice (Albino Swiss) are presented in this paper. Used in low doses (0.001-0.1 mg/kg), pramipexole induced locomotor hypoactivity which was antagonized by a low dose of spiperone; at higher doses (0.3, 1 mg/kg) it evoked hyperactivity which was inhibited by haloperidol, sulpiride and clozapine, but not by SCH 23390 (R(+)-7-chloro-8-hydroxy-3-methyl-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine hydrochloride). Pramipexole (0.1-1.0 mg/kg) antagonized the akinesia induced by combined pretreatment with reserpine (5 mg/kg) and alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (250 mg/kg). Pramipexole (0.1-1 mg/kg) potentiated the hyperkinetic effect of L-DOPA (L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) (50 and 200 mg/kg, together with benserazide, 50 mg/kg) in naive and monoamine-depleted (reserpine + alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine) rats. The higher doses of pramipexole (1 and 3 mg/kg) evoked stereotypy which was antagonized by pretreatment with sulpiride or clozapine. The catalepsy induced by haloperidol, spiperone or fluphenazine was antagonized by pramipexole (1-3 mg/kg). Pramipexole (1 mg/kg) induced hypothermia in mice, which was antagonized by sulpiride. The obtained results indicate that pramipexole: (i) at low doses stimulates the dopamine D-2 presynaptic autoreceptors; (ii) at higher doses stimulates dopamine D-2 postsynaptic receptors. An effect on the dopamine D-3 receptor cannot be excluded. At low doses pramipexole may have antipsychotic activity, and at higher ones antiparkinsonian activity. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.