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Parkinson's disease: Nigral receptor changes support peptidergic role in nigrostriatal modulation
Author(s) -
Uhl George R.,
Hackney Gail O.,
Torchia Mary,
Stranov Victoria,
Tourtellotte Wallace W.,
Whitehouse Peter J.,
Tran Vinh,
Strittmatter Steven
Publication year - 1986
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.410200204
Subject(s) - medicine , substantia nigra , endocrinology , neurotensin , somatostatin , parkinson's disease , dopamine , opiate , receptor , enkephalin , serotonergic , serotonin , neuroscience , chemistry , neuropeptide , psychology , dopaminergic , biology , opioid , disease
Abstract Autoradiographic studies reveal densities of binding to somatostatin, neurotensin, μ‐opiate, and benzodiazepine receptors in substantia nigra specimens from neurologically normal human brains. Binding to nigral angiotensin converting enzyme is also dense, whereas more modest densities of κ‐opiate, dopamine, and serotonin receptors are noted. In nigral specimens taken from patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease, substantial reductions in somatostatin, neurotensin, μ‐opiate and κ‐opiate receptors contrast with more modest reductions in dopamine and benzodiazepine I receptor subtypes. Angiotensin converting enzyme, serotonin, and benzodiazepine II binding are virtually unaltered. These results underscore the likelihood of strong peptidergic influences on normal and pathologically altered human nigrostriatal circuitry.