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 administered to rats from 3 to 19 months of age and effects on activity in the Hole Board apparatus monitored. The antioxidant enzymes catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and CuZn superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the striatum were measured at 6 and 12 months. There was a pronounced age related decrease in line crossing, head dipping and rearing in the control, animals. At 6 months the pergolide treated group were more active in line crossing than their controls, and the (-)-deprenyl treated group were less active. However by 19 months there was no difference between either drug treated group and its controls 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 months, but had no effect on CuZn SOD and GPx activity. Thus there was a dissociation between effects on locomotor activity and antioxidant enzyme induction. The only potentially neuroprotective effect caused by these drugs was an induction of catalase.