Abstract:

Apomorphine is a non-specific dopamine receptor agonist that has been used in the treatment of some diseases and mental disorders. Its use has particularly well documented in Parkinson’s disease (PD). The dopaminergic agonists like apomorphine are related to oxidative processes that could induce cell damage and the functional impairment of some structures in the brain. However, most information about apomorphine in literature is focused on the improvement of the motor problems characteristic of PD, but little is known about the effects on cognitive behaviors and brain structures indirectly related to motor function. The presence of dopaminergic receptors in the hippocampus has recently been discovered, in connection with cognitive behaviors like learning and memory, these receptors are needed in neuronal plasticity. There has been a growing interest to know if this structure could be compromised by the effect of apomorphine and elucidate if part of the cognitive impairment present in the PD is due to the effect of apomorphine. In this mini-review, we summarized how apomorphine has been used since its creation, we discuss the latest information about its effect on the hippocampus and also the future perspectives to fully understand the effects of this compound.

Key words: dopamine receptor, apomorphine, hippocampus, learning and memory, plasticity, dendritic length, oxidative stress, Parkinson’s disease