Behavioral investigations of selective and potent metabotropic glutamate receptor type 5 (mGluR5) antagonists in animal models suggest involvement of mGluR5 in compensatory mechanisms of the basal ganglia circuitry in Parkinson's disease and levodopa (L-Dopa) induced motor complications. This study investigated mGluR5 changes in MPTP lesioned monkeys. The effect of a chronic 1 month treatment with L-Dopa on mGluR5-specific binding and mRNA levels was investigated in MPTP monkeys killed 4 or 24 h after their last L-Dopa administration. [(3)H]ABP688 specific binding in the putamen was elevated in L-Dopa-treated MPTP monkeys killed 24 h but not 4 h after their last L-Dopa dose compared with vehicle-treated MPTP monkeys. Caudate nucleus [(3)H]ABP688-specific binding was elevated in both groups of L-Dopa treated compared with vehicle-treated MPTP monkeys. In contrast, caudate nucleus and putamen mGluR5 mRNA levels were elevated only in L-Dopa-treated MPTP monkeys killed 4 h after their last L-Dopa administration. MPTP monkeys killed 4 h after their last L-Dopa treatment showed higher caudate nucleus and putamen L-Dopa concentrations compared with those killed after 24 h. Hence, mGluR5 in the putamen are sensitive to presence of L-Dopa leading to a rapid decrease of [(3)H]ABP688-specific binding possibly involving a direct mGluR5/dopamine receptors interaction.