BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients show a wide and variable spectrum of cognitive deficits involving multiple domains like memory and visuo-spatial learning. Thus, there is strong evidence that striatal and cortical dopamine cannot be the only major factors in the cognitive profile presented by PD. The initiating neurobiological bases for such disturbances are still uncertain but current hypothesis suggest possible role of diminished projection into hippocampus (Hpc). The present study was designed to determine the impact of MPTP-induced nigrostriatal neurodegeneration on the biochemical profile and glial cell reaction in the Hpc in mice. METHODS: One year old male C57Bl/10Tar mice were injected ip with MPTP (40 mg/kg) or equivalent vehicle volume. One week later brains of the control and MPTP-injected mice (n=10/ group) were scanned with Bruker BioSpec 70/30 Avance III system equipped with 7T magnet. Metabolite concentrations were estimated by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1 HNMR) with LC model and expressed as ratios to total creatine concentration. In addition, contents of DA, NE, 5-HT, Glu, Glx and corresponding metabolites were estimated by HPLC with electrochemical detection. The astrocytic and microglia reactions was assessed by western blot analysis of GFAP and Iba1 proteins expression. RESULTS: Compared to controls, MPTP mice displayed significantly lower glutamate (Glu) and combined glutamate+glutamine (Glx) resonance signals and slightly lower glycerophosphocholine+ phosphocholine (GPC+PCh) signals in the right Hpc. However, no significant differences were observed in the left Hpc. Western blot analysis showed altered astroglial protein expression in the right Hpc. CONCLUSIONS: Reduced Glu and GPC+PCh in the right Hpc and altered astroglial protein expression may signify deficits in neuronal metabolism and/or firing rate and possible astroglia shrinkage toward the right hippocampus.