Premium
Age‐Related changes of strychnine‐insensitive glycine receptors in rat brain as studied by in vitro autroradiography
Author(s) -
Miyoshi Rie,
Kito Shozo,
Doudou Naomi,
Nomoto Teruko
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
synapse
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.809
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1098-2396
pISSN - 0887-4476
DOI - 10.1002/syn.890060405
Subject(s) - strychnine , glycine , neuroscience , cerebellum , nucleus accumbens , nmda receptor , hippocampus , glycine receptor , striatum , receptor , forebrain , chemistry , cerebral cortex , biology , central nervous system , dopamine , biochemistry , amino acid
Age‐related changes of strychnine‐insensitive glycine receptors in the rat brain were studied through quantitative in vitro autoradiography with 3 H‐glycine. 3 H‐glycine binding sites were most concentrated in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and olfactory tubercle, and moderate densities of binding sites were located in the striatum, nucleus accumbens, amygdala, and certain thalamic nuclei. Low densities of 3 H‐glycine binding sites were observed in the lateral septal nucleus, midbrain nuclei such as the superior colliculus and central gray matter, and granule cell layer of the cerebellum. In aged animals, severe decline of 3 H‐glycine binding sites was observed in the telencephalic regions including the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. On the other hand, decrease of binding sites in the midbrain nuclei was of lesser degree, and there were no changes in the cerebellum. These results suggest that the decrease of glycine rceptors in particular brain regions has some reltion with changes of neuronal functions assocaited with aging process in these areas. The glutamatergic neuronal system, particularly the N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) subtype, has been considered to play an important role in learning and memory. Taking into consideration that strychnine‐insensitibve glycine receptors are contained in the NMDA receptor complex, the present study implies that the decrease of glycine receptors may be invloved in impairments of learning and memory occurring in aged brains.