Dopamine replacement therapy induces dopamine dysregulation syndrome in PD patients by sensitizing the pVTA-NAc pathway.
Dopamine receptor agonist bromocriptine induces a positive reinforcement in bilateral pVTA-lesioned rats.
This reinforcement is due to the activation of mGluR5. This receptor and glutamate are over expressed in the NAc shell of pVTA-lesioned rats.
Antagonizing mGluR5 blocked the conditioned place preference expression and acquisition in pVTA-lesioned rats.
Bromocriptine-induced reinforcement is due to the activation of the mGluR5 pathway in the NAc of pVTA-lesioned rats.