7,8-dihydroxyflavone Ameliorates Motor Deficits Via Suppressing α-synuclein Expression and Oxidative Stress in the MPTP-induced Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Parkinson disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) and diminished dopamine content in the striatum, which is at least partly associated with α-synuclein protein overexpression in these neurons. Recent reports show that 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (DHF), a TrkB agonist, has beneficial effects in animal model of PD. However, it is unclear whether the therapeutic effects of DHF are associated with the expression of α-synuclein.