Intracerebral grafting of neuronal cell suspensions. V. Behavioural recovery in rats with bilateral 6-OHDA lesions following implantation of nigral cell suspensions.

Bilateral 6-hydroxydopamine-induced lesions of the ascending forebrain dopamine neurones induce a behavioural syndrome in rats which includes profound aphagia, adipsia, akinesia and bilateral sensorimotor neglect. Such animals will die unless maintained by intragastric feeding. Three experiments are reported in which we have attempted to ameliorate this syndrome with single or multiple placements of nigral cell suspensions into the forebrains of rats with bilateral dopamine depletions. Although the grafts were efficient in reversing the sensorimotor and akinetic impairments, and produced a significant increase in eating, the grafted rats remained hypophagic and adipsic. The results indicate that although many components of the bilateral dopamine denervation syndrome can be reversed by intrastriatal nigral suspension grafts, the severe eating and drinking deficits remain unameliorated.