Effect of zonisamide co-administration with levodopa on global gene expression in the striata of rats with Parkinson's disease.

The anti-epileptic drug zonisamide is reported to exert beneficial effects in patients with Parkinson's disease. To elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the anti-parkinsonism effects of zonisamide, we examined the effect of zonisamide co-administered with levodopa in the striata of rats with 6-hydoroxydopamine hemiparkinsonism by using a DNA microarray for genome-wide gene expression profiling. We found that the expression of some genes related to metabolism and nervous system development and function were upregulated by zonisamide; expression of these genes was downregulated by levodopa.