Interaction of atropine‐like drugs with dopamine‐containing neurones in rat brain

Abstract

A variety of atropine‐like drugs effective in the treatment of drug‐induced extrapyramidal syndromes have been investigated with regard to their interaction with dopamine‐containing neurones in rat brain. Under some conditions benztropine, trihexyphenidyl, atropine and ethopropazine significantly antagonized the chlorpromazine‐induced increase in subcortical concentrations of homovanillic acid. Most of the atropine‐like drugs investigated also decreased the turnover of dopamine in the subcortex as measured by following the disappearance of dopamine after administration of α‐methyl‐p‐tyrosine. These findings are suggestive that an imbalance between a dopaminergic and cholinergic system might be closely linked to the pathogenesis of extrapyramidal movement disorders. 1972 British Pharmacological Society