Electrical Lesion of Substantia Nigra Pars Compacta; An Alternative and Convenient Way to Generate the Animal Model of Parkinson’s Disease

The unilateral or bilateral lesion of the Substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) by chemical neurotoxins such as 6-hydroxy dopamine (6-OHDA) or 1- Methyl-4- phenyl -1,2,3,6 – tetirahydro pyridine (MPTP) are the most commonly and the main used methods for generating the animal models of Parkinson’s disease (PD). But these agents are expensive, dangerous, difficult to use and inaccessible conveniently due to the international economical sanctions recently in Iran. Hence investigation the alternative and possible way to solve these problems was based of this research. Forty eight animals were included in this study and divided into six groups. One group was selected as the control and also two groups as the sham of the SNc lesion. Other remained groups were subjected to lesion of SNc by 6-OHDA, MPTP and electrical lesion. SNC of subjected groups for lesion were destroyed using neurotoxins and electrical lesion. Finally with in vitro, histological studies and Murprogo’s method precision and effectiveness of the electrical lesion was compared with chemical lesions. Our results showed the same efficacy of lesion for electrical lesion method with regard to the neurotoxins. Due to the technical convenient, low cost, accessibility and the same potency of electrical lesion, this method can speak as a alternative method for generating the PD models and especially is a beneficial method that neuroscientists can use it in the future studies.