Altered GABAergic neurotransmission in mice lacking dopamine D2 receptors

The levels of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) were strongly increased in the cortex and the striatum in dopamine D2 receptors null (D2R-/-) mice, which show a significant locomotor impairment. In this study, the effects of different GABAergic drugs on locomotor activity were analyzed in D2R-/- mice. After administering muscimol (1 mg/kg), a GABA_A receptor agonist, the D2R-/- mice showed increased locomotor activity up to 200%. When the muscimol dose was increased (4-6 mg/kg), the D2R-/- mice exhibited seizure-like behavior, and the electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings during these behaviors showed a high amplitude rhythmic epileptiform activity in these mice. In situ hybridization showed that after injecting muscimol in the D2R-/- mice, the expression of enkephalin and immediate early gene, NGFI-A, was closely regulated with the locomotor activity regulated by GABAergic stimulation. These results suggest that the absence of D2R alters the GABAergic neurotransmission, specifically on GABA_A-receptor mediated signaling, and stimulating the GABA_A receptor can reverse the dysfunction of GABAergic inhibition in the motor circuits in the basal ganglia.