Abstract
The blink reflex abnormalities present in the 6 hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesioned rat model of parkinsonism mimicked those of the human with Parkinon's disease. In alert rats, we monitored the long and short latency components of the orbicularis oculi electromyographic (OOemg) response evoked by electrical stimulation of the supraorbital branch of the trigeminal nerve (SO). Two paradigms, habituation and double pulse, provided a measure of blink reflex excitability. In normal rats, repeated stimulation of the SO produced habituation of the R2 component of the blink. In the double pulse paradigm, presentation of two identical SO stimuli resulted in a reduced or suppressed OOemg response to the second stimulus relative to the first. In rats with complete, unilateral lesions of midbrain dopamine neurons, repeated SO stimulation produced facilitation rather than habituation of the R2 component of the blink reflex. This facilitation occurred only with the eyelid contralateral to the lesion. In the double pulse paradigm, the lesioned rats showed increased excitability rather than suppression. This effect occurred bilaterally, although the increased excitability was strongest contralateral to the lesion. Rats with partial lesions of midbrain dopamine neurons exhibited qualitatively similar, but less pronounced blink reflex abnormalities. The R1 component of the blink reflex was unaffected by either the complete or partial lesions. Thus, modification of the blink reflex by 6-OHDA lesions provides a reproducible parkinsonian-like symptom which is amenable to investigations of increases in reflex excitability.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agostino R, Beradelli A, Cruccu G, Pauletti G, Stocchi F, Manfredi M (1988) Correlation between facial involuntary movements and abnormalities of blink and corneal reflexes in Huntington's chorea. Mov Disord 3 (4): 281–289
Beradelli A, Cruccu G, Manfredi M, Rothweell JC, Day BI, Marsden CD (1985) The corneal reflex and the R2 component of the blink reflex. Neurol 35:797–801
Boiardi A, Bussone G, Caccia MR, Rocca E (1975) Electrophysiological evidence for a neurohumoral dependence in the changes of the late glabellar response in man. Eur Neurol 13:513–518
Bollen E, Arts RJHM, Roos RAC, VanDer Velde EA, Burma OJS (1986) Brainstem reflexes and brainstem auditory evoked responses in Huntington's chorea. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 49:313–315
Brundin P, Nilsson OG, Strecker RE, Lindvall O, Åstedt B, Björklund A (1988) Behavioral effects of human fetal dopamine neurons grafted in a rat model of Parkinson's disease. Exp Brain Res 112:235–240
Caliguiri MP, Abbs JH (1987) Response properties of the perioral reflex in Parkinson's disease. Exp Neurol 98:563–572
Caraceni T, Avanzini G, Spreafico R, Negri S, Broggi G, Girotti F (1976) Study of the excitability cycle of the blink reflex in Huntington's chorea. Eur Neurol 14:465–472
Dengler R, Kossev A, Struppler A (1982) Unilateral reduction of the early and late blink reflex component in hemiparkinson syndrome. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 54:689–698
Esteban A, Gimenez-Roldan S (1975) Blink reflex in Huntington's chorea and Parkinson's disease. Acta Neurol Scand 52:145–157
Esteban A, Mateao D, Gimenez-Roldan S (1981) Early detection of Huntington's disease, blink reflex and levodopa load in presymptomatic and incipient subjects. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 44:43–48
Evinger C (1989) Nicotine transiently increases the latency of the blink reflex. Soc Neurosci Abstr 15:785
Evinger C, Basso MA, Manning KA, Sibony PA, Pellegrini JJ, Horn AKE (1993) A role for the basal ganglia in nicotinic modulation of the blink reflex. Exp Brain Res 92:507–515
Fuhr P, Zeffrino T, Hallett M (1992) Cutaneous reflexes in Parkinson's disease. Muscle Nerve 15:733–739
Gray BC, McNeish CS, Mandel RJ, Strecker, RE (1991) Efficacy of anti-Parkinsonian drugs on the spontaneous paw reaching and sensory motor deficits caused by complete, unilateral, dopamine depletions of the rat forebrain. Soc Neurosci Abstr 17:198
Kimura J (1973a) Disorders of interneurons in Parkinson's disease. Brain 96:87–96
Kimura J (1973b) The blink reflex as a test for brain-stem and higher central nervous system function. In: Desmedt JE (ed) New developments in electromyography and clinical neurophysiology, vol 1. Karger, Basel, pp 682–691
Kimura J (1983) Clinical uses of the electrically elicited blink reflex. In: Desmedt JE (ed) Motor control mechanisms in health and disease. Raven Press, New York, pp 773–786
Lee RG, Murphy JT, Tatton WG (1983) Long-latency myotactic reflexes in man: mechanisms, functional significance, and changes in patients with Parkinson's disease or hemiplegia. In: Desmedt JE (ed) Motor control mechanisms in health and disease. Raven Press, New York, pp 489–508
Matsumoto H, Noro H, Kaneshige T, Chiba S, Miyano N, Motoi Y, Yanada Y (1992) A correlation study between blink reflex habituation and clinical state in patients with Parkinson's disease. J Neurol Sci 107:155–159
Messina C, DiRosa AE, Tomasello F (1972) Habituation of blink reflexes in Parkinson's patients under levodopa and amantadine treatment. J Neurol Sci 17:141–148
Mink JW, Thach WT (1991) Basal ganglia motor control III pallidal ablation: normal reaction time, muscle cocontraction, and slow movement. J Neurophysiol 65:330–351
Ongerboer de Visser BW (1983) Anatomical and functional organization of reflexes involving the trigeminal system in man: jaw reflex, blink reflex, corneal reflex, and exteroceptive suppression. In: Desmedt JE (ed) Motor control mechanisms in health and disease. Raven Press, New York, pp 727–738
Pearce J, Aziz H, Gallagher JC (1968) Primitive reflex activity in primary and symptomatic Parkinsonism. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 31:501–508
Penders CA, Delawaide PJ (1971) Blink reflex studies in patients with Parkinsonism before and during therapy. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 34:674–678
Raffaele R, Emery P, Palmeri A, Ricca G, Perciavalle V (1988) Influences of dopaminergic systems on the blink reflex. Ital J Neurol Sci 9:351–354
Sanes JN (1984) Voluntary movement and excitability of cutaneous reflexes. Psychophysiology 21 (6): 653–664
Shallert T, Petrie BF, Whishaw IQ (1989) Neonatal dopamine depletion: spared and unspared sensorimotor and attentional disorders and effects of further depletion in adulthood. Psychobiology 17:386–396
Ungerstedt U, Arbuthnott GW (1970) Quantitative recording of rotational behavior in rats after 6-hydroxy-dopamine lesions of the nigrostriatal dopamine system. Brain Res 24:485–493
White OB, Saint-Cyr JA, Tomlinson RD, Sharpe JA (1988) Ocular motor deficits in Parkinson's disease. III. Coordination of eye and head movements. Brain 3 (1): 115–129
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Basso, M.A., Strecker, R.E. & Evinger, C. Midbrain 6-hydroxydopamine lesions modulate blink reflex excitability. Exp Brain Res 94, 88–96 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00230472
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00230472