Partial protection by CDP-choline against kainic acid-induced lesion in the rat caudate nucleus.

The acute intraperitoneal administration of CDP-choline to rats caused an increase in striatal dopamine (DA) synthesis, measured by DOPA accumulation after decarboxylase inhibition. Moreover, the chronic treatment with CDP-choline induced a decrease in the total number of 3H-spiroperidol binding sites, while partially antagonizing the disappearance of DA-sensitive adenylate cyclase activity elicited by intrastriatal kainic acid. These results suggest that CDP-choline may have a trophic and/or stimulant action on the function of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons.