Increase in locomotor activity after acute administration of the nicotinic receptor agonist 3-bromocytisine in rats.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors influence striatal dopaminergic activity and its outcome on motor behavior. For these reasons, nicotinic receptors have been considered as therapeutically relevant targets for Parkinson's disease, in which a dramatic loss of dopamine affects motor functions. The aim of the present work was to compare the effects on locomotor activity induced by the nicotinic agonist cytisine and two brominated derivatives, 5- and 3-bromocytisine (5-BrCy and 3-BrCy) using nicotine for comparison.