l-DOPA and psychosis: Evidence for l-DOPA-induced increases in prefrontal cortex dopamine and in serum corticosterone

l-DOPA can often induce psychotic reactions during treatment for Parkinsonʹs disease. This study was undertaken to assess, in an animal model of Parkinsonʹs disease, the impact of l-DOPA treatment on two potential biological risk factors for psychosis, namely, an increase in prefrontal cortex dopamine and an increase in the stress-related hormone corticosterone. Hemiparkinsonian rats with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions which resulted in severe unilateral denervation of dopamine neurons were treated with either saline or 25 mg/kg l-DOPA methyl ester (with 2 mg/kg carbidopa). Serum l-DOPA concentrations were found to be positively and highly correlated with serum corticosterone, with medial prefrontal cortex dopamine and with the dopamine metabolite homovanillic acid Serum l-DOPA, however, was found not to be correlated with serum or brain concentrations of serotonin, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, or norepinephrine. These findings support the possibility that chronic l-DOPA treatment can expose parkinsonian patients to two significant risk factors for psychosis: 1) increased levels of prefrontal cortex dopamine, and 2) increased levels of serum corticosterone.