N-acetylcysteine decreases dopamine transporter availability in the non-lesioned striatum of the 6-OHDA hemiparkinsonian rat

This study aimed to explore the beneficial effects of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the degenerated dopamine system. The short- and long-term regulatory mechanisms of NAC on the 6-OHDA hemiparkinsonian rat model were longitudinally investigated by performing positron emission tomography (PET) imaging using the specific dopamine transporter (DAT) radioligand [F-18]FE-PE2I. The results demonstrate that after a unilateral dopamine insult NAC has a strong influence on the non-lesioned hemisphere by decreasing the levels of DAT in the striatum early after the lesion. We interpret this early and short-term decrease of DAT in the healthy striatum of NAC-treated animals as a beneficial compensatory effect induced by NAC.

Automated summary

This study investigates the beneficial effects of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the degenerated dopamine system using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. The results show that NAC has a strong influence on the non-lesioned hemisphere, decreasing the levels of dopamine transporter (DAT) in the striatum early after the lesion and suggesting a beneficial compensatory effect induced by NAC.