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Dopaminergic and cholinergic lesions in progressive supranuclear palsy
Author(s) -
Ruberg Merle,
JavoyAgid France,
Hirsch Etienne,
Scatton Bernard,
Lheureux Rémy,
Hauw JeanJacques,
Duyckaerts Charles,
Gray Françloise,
MorelMaroger Ariel,
Rascol André,
Serdaru Michel,
Agid Yves
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410180503
Subject(s) - progressive supranuclear palsy , substantia innominata , homovanillic acid , dopaminergic , putamen , neuroscience , dopamine , caudate nucleus , striatum , substantia nigra , cholinergic neuron , medicine , globus pallidus , nucleus accumbens , endocrinology , choline acetyltransferase , basal ganglia , cholinergic , psychology , central nervous system , atrophy , receptor , serotonin
In 9 patients with progressive supranuclear palsy and in 27 controls, dopamine and homovanillic acid concentrations, choline acetyltransferase (CAT) activity, and the number of [ 3 H]spiperone and [ 3 H]quinuclidinyl benzilate binding sites were measured post mortem in the striatum (caudate nucleus, putamen, and nucleus accumbens), substantia innominata, and frontal cortex. Dopamine and homovanillic acid concentrations were reduced in the caudate nucleus and putamen but not in the nucleus accumbens or frontal cortex, indicating that the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system is lesioned in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (as in those with Parkinson's disease) but not the mesocortical and mesolimbic dopaminergic systems, which are lesioned in parkinsonian patients. CAT activity and [ 3 H]spiperone binding decreased in parallel fashion in all the structures. In the striatum, this suggests that the cholinergic neurons, which are target cells of the nigrostriatal system, also degenerate in this disease. This might explain the decrease in the number of dopamine receptors as well as the inefficacy of levodopa or anticholinergic therapy in these patients. The decrease in CAT activity in the substantia innominata and the frontal cortex indicates that the innominatocortical cholinergic system is lesioned in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy and may play a role in the intellectual deterioration observed. This lesion is also found in demented patients with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.