Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide protects dopaminergic neurons and improves behavioral deficits in a rat model of Parkinson's disease.; Morphological and functional effects of PACAP in 6-hydroxydopamine-induced lesion of the substantia nigra in rats. [ …] Tyrosine-hydroxylase (TH) immunohistochemistry revealed increased number of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta and in the ventral tegmental area in all PACAP-treated rats in contrast to the severe cell loss in control animals.;summarizes the findings on the neuroprotective potential of PACAP in models of neurodegenerative diseases, with special focus on in vitro and in vivo models of Parkinson`s disease, Huntington chorea and Alzheimer`s disease