Aim To observe the neuroprotective effects of modafinil on the Parkinson'sdisease ( PD ) model induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2,3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP ). Methods Themodel of PD was induced by intraperitoneal injection of MPTP into C57BL/6J mice for 4 d. Modafinil(ip, 50 or 100 mg·kg^(-1)·d^(-1)) was administered following MPTP for 4 d and for another 10 dconsecatirely. The effects of modafinil on the locomotor activity, and the incubation, maintenanceperiod and grade of the tremor, the duration of the climbing rod of mouse, and the distribution ofpositive cells of ty-rosine hydroxylase (TH) and Nissl bodies in the striatum and substantia nigra(SN) were observed. The contents of dopam-ine (DA) , noradrenaline (NA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT) in the striatum were determined. Results Modafinil (50 and 100 mg·kg^(-1)) significantlyprevented the locomotor, the tremor and climbing rod defect behavior in a dose-dependent manner (P <0.05 and P < 0.01, n = 10), prevented the decrease in the number of TH-positive cells and Nisslbodies (P<0.05, n=10), and reduced the decrease of DA, NA, and 5-HT in the striatum (P < 0.05, n =10) induced by MPTP. Conclusion Modafinil improves the behavioral deficits and prevents themonoaminergic neuron lesion in seriously impaired MPTP mouse model.
