The involvement of glutamatergic transmission in the mechanism of movement disorders induced by reversive rotation of white mice.

The ability of the selective non-competitive NMDA receptor blocker MK-801 and a series of new glutamate antagonists --the adamantane derivatives IEM-1754 and IEM-1857 and phencyclidine (IEM-1925)--to prevent movement disorders induced by reversive rotation in mice was studied. l.p. MK-801 at a dose of 0.15 ml and IEM-1754 at a dose of 5.0 mg/kg prevented the development of akinesia in response to reversive rotation as effectively as scopolamine, a known agent which provides effective prophylaxis for movement diseases. IEM-1857, the quaternary analog of IEM-1754, was not effective. IEM-1925 significantly increased the responses of mice to reversive rotation, possibly because of its high activity in relation to other subtypes of glutamate receptors. These data provide evidence for the involvement of glutamatergic transmission in the mechanism of movement disorders of vestibular origin.