Marked locomotor stimulation in monoamine-depleted mice following treatment with atropine in combination with clonidine.

The present study demonstrates that the muscarinic antagonist atropine and the alpha-adrenergic agonist clonidine, though ineffective when administered separately, produced a pronounced locomotor stimulation in monoamine-depleted mice when combined. The atropine + clonidine-induced locomotor stimulation was counteracted by both the alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist idazoxan and the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor physostigmine. Thus, it is clear that simultaneous manipulations with cholinergic and adrenergic systems are as effective in restoring locomotion in monoamine-depleted mice as increasing central dopaminergic tone. This finding may have implications for the treatment of a movement disorder like Parkinson's disease.