In light of the ability of PPARγ to reduce glia-mediated inflammatory response in the brain and to protect from NMDA mediated excitotoxic damage (79, 80), it was hypothesized that the effect of pioglitazone on methamphetamine sensitization was the result of its neuroprotective effects (78). However, as discussed in the following paragraph, an alternative possibility is that pioglitazone blocked the locomotor sensitizing effects of methamphetamine by reducing the ability of this drug to activate corticomesolimbic dopamine (DA).
