Introduction: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder in elderly people. The condition is associated with damage to the dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, a great decrement of dopamine neurotransmitter in the striatum, and a deficiency of tyrosine hydroxylase; the rate-determining enzyme during dopamine formation. In rats, rotenone has been administered to induce a syndrome that mimics the behavioral and pathophysiological finding of Parkinson's disease.
Aim of the work: To evaluate the behavioral aspects of PD in rotenone-treated Wistar rats.
Materials and Methods: Rotenone at 2 mg/kg was injected subcutaneously to male adult Wistar rats in the rotenone-treated group once a day for 4 weeks for induction of PD. Open Field test, object recognition test, Rota-rod test, footprint test and forced swim test were performed at the end of induction. Tyrosine hydroxylase levels in the brain were measured.
Results: Our data showed deteriorated behavioral aspects after rotenone treatment, with a decrease in exploration and locomotion, impaired motor coordination, asymmetrical impaired gait, increased depressive-like behaviors, reduction in short-term memory and reduction in tyrosine hydroxylase levels.
Conclusion: in this study, rotenone subcutaneously at a dose of 2 mg/kg daily for 4 weeks, in adult male Wistar rats, caused the appearance of the motor and the non-motor features of PD with a marked drop-off tyrosine hydroxylase levels in the striatum.