Rotational behaviour induced by theophylline in 6-OHDA nigrostriatal denervated rats is dependent on the supersensitivity of striatal dopaminergic receptors.

We studied apomorphine- and theophylline-induced rotational behaviour in rats with a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesion of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway. It was seen that there was a direct correlation between the number of apomorphine- and theophylline-induced contralateral turns. These data suggest the existence of a relationship between theophylline-induced rotational behaviour and the degree of supersensitivity of the striatal dopaminergic receptors. Because the rotational behaviour induced by theophylline is in the same direction as dopaminergic agonists, contralateral to the nigrostriatal pathway lesion, these results suggest the possibility of a direct dopaminergic agonism of methylxanthines.