Amphetamine, but not reserpine, protects mice against dopaminergic neurotoxicity of MPTP.

In mice, long-term reductions in striatal DA produced by the neurotoxin MPTP were completely prevented by its combined administration with amphetamine. Depletion of DA from DA terminals by cotreatment with reserpine did not suppress but rather enhanced MPTP-induced DA decrements in striatum. Amphetamine protection against DA neurotoxicity of MPTP in mice is probably not due to increases in DA release and may be related to inhibition of MPTP transport into nigrostriatal terminals via the DA reuptake system.