Both Short- and Long-Acting D-1/D-2 Dopamine Agonists Induce Less Dyskinesia than l-DOPA in the MPTP-Lesioned Common Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)

Abstract The current concept of dyskinesia is that pulsatile stimulation of D-1 or D-2 receptors by l -DOPA or short-acting dopamine agonists is more likely to induce dyskinesia compared to long-acting drugs producing more continuous receptor stimulation. We now investigate the ability of two mixed D-1/D-2 agonists, namely pergolide (long-acting) and apomorphine (short-acting), to induce dyskinesia in drug-naive MPTP-lesioned primates, compared to l -DOPA. Adult common marmosets ( Callithrix jacchus ) were lesioned with MPTP (2 mg/kg/day sc for 5 days) and subsequently treated with equieffective antiparkinsonian doses of l -DOPA, apomorphine, or pergolide for 28 days. l -DOPA, apomorphine, …