Saccadic eye movement deficits in the MPTP monkey model of Parkinson's disease.

Saccadic eye tracking was studied in a monkey given i.v. injections of N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). The Parkinson-like symptoms which appeared in the animal's general motor behavior (akinesia, bradykinesia, hypokinesia) were also observed in its eye tracking. Similar oculomotor deficits are seen in patients with idiopathic Parkinsonism. The MPTP model offers excellent possibilities for studying the mechanisms underlying the motor disabilities of Parkinson's disease.