Behavioural and biochemical effects of the tremorgenic mycotoxin verruculogen

The tremorgenic mycotoxin verruculogen administered intraperitoneally to Wistar rats and C57BL/6N mice produced a tremorgenic syndrome which lasted about 4 h and, although more severe in mice, was similar in both species. Striatal samples collected from animals sacrificed at 1, 4, 24 h and 7 days after treatment showed a significant (P <0.05 at 1 and 4 h) reduction of the dopamine metabolite 3-methoxytyramine (3-MT), while dopamine (DA) and other metabolites such as dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) were found not to be significantly modified. The onset and the time course of the behavioural impairment observed are compatible with the duration of the biochemical changes measured in the striatum. A reduction in DA release rather than an effect on intraneuronal DA metabolism might account, at least in part, for the tremorgenic activity of verruculogen.