Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40441883›Full record

Trial reportThe international journal of neuropsychopharmacology2025

NMDA receptor involvement in dopaminergic modulation of neuroplasticity induced by paired associative stimulation.

Marie C Beaupain, Elham Ghanavati, Amba M Frese, Lorena Melo, Min-Fang Kuo, Michael A Nitsche

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Marie C BeaupainDepartment of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Dortmund, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-9534-9787
Elham GhanavatiDepartment of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Dortmund, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-5944-8123
Amba M FreseDepartment of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Dortmund, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-1753-5971
Lorena MeloDepartment of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Dortmund, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-9765-9391
Min-Fang KuoDepartment of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Dortmund, Germany.
Michael A NitscheDepartment of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Dortmund, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-2207-5965

Funding

German Center for Mental HealthGerman Research Foundation DFG NI683-13-1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDopamine (DA) modulates long-term potentiation (LTP)-like neuroplasticity. While particularly D1 and D2 receptors are thought to influence neuroplasticity through glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) modulation, the exact mechanisms are not completely clarified.

objectiveWe aimed to explore the relevance of NMDA receptor activity for DAergic modulation of focal LTP-like plasticity induced by excitatory paired associative stimulation (ePAS).

methodsIn a double-blinded, randomized, and placebo-controlled design, 17 healthy participants received DAergic agents (100 mg L-Dopa for general DAergic enhancement, 10 mg bromocriptine for selective D2 receptor activation, or placebo) with different doses of the partial NMDA receptor agonist D-cycloserine (CYC; 50, 100, 200 mg, or placebo) and underwent ePAS. Cortical excitability was monitored via motor-evoked potentials induced by TMS over the left motor cortex for up to 2 hours post-stimulation.

resultsWe did not find significant interactions between DAergic agents, CYC, and time across the entire sample, but significant group differences depending on sensitivity to ePAS. In high-sensitivity, but not low-sensitivity participants, ePAS induced LTP-like effects. CYC produced nonlinear, dose-dependent effects on plasticity in both groups. In the high-sensitivity group, LTP-like effects persisted under both DAergic agents, but were significantly reduced under bromocriptine. CYC had a nonlinear effect when combined with bromocriptine. In the low-sensitivity group, ePAS under DAergic agents did not induce LTP-like effects, and only additional intervention with medium-dose CYC restored facilitatory effects under L-Dopa.

conclusionsThese findings suggest that optimal NMDA receptor activation is necessary for ePAS-induced neuroplasticity and that D2 receptor activity may reduce LTP-like effects by downregulating NMDA receptor function.

Indexed as

DopamineLong-Term PotentiationMotor CortexNeuronal PlasticityReceptors, N-Methyl-D-AspartateAdultBromocriptineCycloserineDopamine AgentsDopamine AgonistsDouble-Blind MethodEvoked Potentials, MotorFemaleHumansLevodopaMaleBromocriptineCycloserineDopamineDopamine AgentsDopamine AgonistsLevodopaReceptors, Dopamine D2Receptors, N-Methyl-D-AspartatedopamineneuroplasticityNMDA receptorpaired associative stimulation

Identifiers

PMID40441883
PMCPMC12202998

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.